What does the Brazilian spider look like? The most dangerous spider

In 2007, another poisonous record holder appeared in the Guinness Book of Records - the Brazilian wandering spider. As it is already clear from its name, the habitat of this aggressive and rather dangerous arachnid for humans is South America. But often this agile arthropod can be found in human housing, where boxes, boots, hats, etc. are his favorite places.

Brazilian wandering spider: appearance

These spiders are quite large - about 10 cm long. They have a fusiform body and eight eyes, two of which are large. A voluminous abdomen and long, thick, spiked legs, covered with thick hairs, distinguish this arachnid from its counterparts. Its color can range from dark brown to brown.

Standing in a defensive pose, the Brazilian wandering spider, the photo of which you can see in this article, rests on its hind legs and, lifting two pairs of the front ones, sways menacingly from side to side. One of the main features of this spider is large chelicerae covered with red bristles.

Brazilian wandering spider: lifestyle

Wandering spiders are so called because they do not build nests or weave webs, but wander in search of food: insects, other spiders or even frogs, small birds and mammals. Bananas occupy a special place in the spider's diet, for which the arthropod gourmet is also called the "banana" spider in the homeland.

These arachnids move quite quickly, developing a particularly high speed in pursuit of prey. And some species are also capable of jumping far. The wandering spider plunges into its victim chelicerae, through which poison is carried. It paralyzes small animals within seconds.

Wandering spiders are nocturnal creatures that prefer to sit during the day under stones, in dense grass or in human houses.

Brazilian wandering spider: danger to humans

The reason for particular concern when a person collides with a Brazilian wandering spider is that this poisonous arthropod is in no hurry to escape, but, on the contrary, takes a defensive position and, having bitten once, seeks to do it again and again.

The venom of these spiders causes severe allergic reactions in humans. And if the victim is a child, an elderly or weakened person, then the bite of the "Brazilian" can be extremely dangerous, even fatal. True, in medicine there are means that can help with a bite of a poisonous arthropod, but you need to seek help no later than 20 minutes after the incident.

The first symptoms of spider venom poisoning are rather severe pain from the bite itself, and then a strong increase in pressure, nausea, dizziness and difficulty breathing.

But it must be remembered that this spider does not attack a person first. The bite in this case can only be for self-defense purposes. True, because of the strong love of this species, the inhabitants of South America have to be especially careful and attentive to live in boxes and dark rooms.

Brazilian wandering spiders are the most venomous spiders on the planet. They belong to the Phoneutria genus, which consists of several species of spiders. Several of these species, including Phoneutria nigriventer, Phoneutria keyserlingi, and Phoneutria fera are called Brazilian wandering spiders.

The term "Brazilian Wandering Spider" actually refers not only to one spider, but also to a number of extremely venomous spider species found mainly in the South (especially Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Suriname, Peru and Guyana) and Central America. They belong to the genus Phoneutria, which is a member of the venomous spider family Ctenidae.

The Brazilian Wandering Spider is a highly venomous and aggressive spider. It is also known as the "banana" spider (because these spiders are often found in bunches of bananas). The Brazilian wandering spider "roams" the ground in the jungle, rather than living in a burrow or building a web.

Types of Brazilian wandering spiders

According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), the genus of venomous spiders Ctenidae contains the following Brazilian wandering spiders: Phoneutria fera, Phoneutria nigriventer, Phoneutria bahiensis, Phoneutria boliviensis, Phoneutria eickstedtae, Phoneutria keyserlingi, Phoneutria perlingi, Phoneutria perlutria.

All species of Brazilian wandering spiders are mostly brown, hairy and have a black spot on their belly. These spiders reach large sizes, with a leg span of about 15 cm and a body size of up to 5 cm.

These spiders are nocturnal hunters, so they spend most of the day hiding in crevices or under logs and go out to hunt at night. They feed on insects, small reptiles, amphibians, mice and other smaller spiders.

Brazilian wandering spider - bite and its consequences.

A Brazilian wandering spider bite can cause full-blown poisoning or be limited to a few painful skin punctures. Two of the most famous and dangerous wandering spider species are Phoneutria fera and Phoneutria nigriventer.

Brazilian wandering spiders are known for their aggressiveness as well as their strong venomous bite. However, it is interesting that this behavior is actually a defense mechanism.

When threatened or attacked, they raise their first two pairs of legs, indicating to their predators that they are ready to attack. Their bites are thus an act of self-defense, and they only do so when provoked, either accidentally or deliberately.

If you find yourself in a situation where you have been bitten by one of these spiders, you may experience symptoms such as sweating, goose bumps and severe burning pain at the site of the bite.

Within 30 minutes or so, an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) appears, blood pressure jumps, abdominal cramps occur, body temperature drops below normal, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision, and seizures begin.

If you are bitten by a wandering spider, you should immediately seek medical attention from the appropriate agency, regardless of whether there are initial symptoms. This is very important as the poison can threaten your life.

The venom of these spiders is a complex cocktail of toxins, peptides and proteins that affects ion channels and chemical receptors in the neuromuscular system of victims.

It so happens that the venom that the Brazilian spider Phoneutria nigriventer injects into its prey contains several toxic polypeptide fractions. Some of them have been purified and proven to contain the very potent neurotoxin PhTx-3 and six neurotoxic peptides (Tx3-1-Tx3-6).

The experiment showed that PhTx3 and one of the named TX3-3 peptides act as calcium channel blockers, decreasing its amount. A decrease in the amount of calcium affects the supply of glutamate3 and acetylcholine2 to the rat brain.

In simple terms, the venom of Brazilian stray spiders affects brain function and disorients the victim.

Phoneutria are very interesting spiders, but keeping them in captivity requires a lot of experience keeping very fast and aggressive spiders. If not, then it is best to stay away from this species because of their dangerous venom. They are easy to maintain and unpretentious in food, but require a reasonable and respectful attitude.

B Banana spider (Phoneutria) or, as it is also called, the Brazilian wandering spider is the owner of the most dangerous poison. The banana spider hit the Guinness Book of Records in 2010 precisely because of the poison. The Brazilian wandering spider belongs to the runner family (Ctenidae ) and has a rather narrow habitat.

Who Discovered the Brazilian Wandering Spider

The Brazilian wandering spider was discovered in 1833 by German zoologist Maximilian Perti. He described the genus Phoneutria to which he attributed 2 species of this family: Phoneutria rufibarbis and Phoneutria fera. Translated from Greek, the name of the genus is translated as "murderer". For 2016, the worldwide spider catalog has 8 representatives of the genus Phoneutria. The name of the spider is justified by the fact that this species is not tied to a specific place and does not weave a web, it hunts at night in the depths of tropical forests. The name of the banana spider was given because it was very often found in the fruits of this particular fruit.

Where does the Banana Spider live?

The spread of the banana spider occurs mainly in South America. The Brazilian wandering spider is found in the forests of Costa Rica and throughout parts of South America. Meetings with this spider have been recorded in countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. Three species of the genus Phoneutria have been found in the Amazon region. One species is found in Central America, namely Panama and Costa Rica. The rest of the species are scattered throughout the forests of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The Brazilian wandering spider is not found only in the northeastern region. Due to the fact that this spider is not tied to a specific area and travels quite often when transporting goods, its bites are recorded in different parts of the planet. As an example, you can cite different regions of North America and even Europe. Cases of bites have been reported in England and Spain. It often hides in bundles with fruits, namely bananas, so be careful.

Description and behavior of the Banana Spider

The banana spider has a body length of 17 to 45 millimeters. Its limbs are 13 to 15 centimeters long. The Brazilian wandering spider is fairly easy to confuse with some other spider genera, such as the genus Ctenus. It can be distinguished by the presence of dense hair on the pedipalps. Although this difference cannot be considered very significant, it should still be indicated as a distinctive feature. Another way to identify a banana spider can be a black line running along the entire length of the body of the arthropod from the head. But this feature is not the most important difference from other spiders. The most important indicator of the Banana Spider can be considered its behavior, because when a threat arises, it takes a special defensive posture. The defensive posture of the Brazilian wandering spider consists in the highly raised forelimbs and it is this defensive reaction that allows the identification of this species. Phoneutria nigriventer contains the most dangerous neurotoxin PhTx3 in its venom. It, depending on the dosage, is widely used in medicine, but if the toxicity rate is exceeded, it is very dangerous. The poison causes a loss of muscle control, leading to suffocation or cardiac arrest. Preapism is also a characteristic symptom of a banana spider bite. The bite of the Brazilian wandering spider is quite painful. It is known that females produce poison much more powerful than males. So that you understand the danger of this species, in order to kill a mouse weighing 20 grams, 6 micrograms of poison are needed. There is an antidote for the venom of the banana spider that is very effective when it bites. Therefore, the number of deaths has decreased to a minimum.

Let's talk about the Brazilian spider. He is one of the top most dangerous insects on the planet. The word wandering is added to its name and for good reason. This spider, unlike the others, does not weave a web, but is on a constant road, that is, it wanders.

You can meet him only in America, where he lives not only in the tropics, but can often be a resident of houses and outbuildings. What makes it special and what kind of threat does it pose to a person?

The killer spider (phoneutria) is a very fast and aggressive arthropod of its kind.

The Brazilian has two types: jumping and running, but they are all equally poisonous. What does it look like?

Spider appearance

The specimen of this species of spiders is very large, sometimes its dimensions reach 10 cm in length. The size of the head and chest are small, in contrast to its belly, which is very thick, since the spider eats a lot.

The legs are very massive, covered with hair, which makes it look the most threatening. The color changes depending on the habitat. Sometimes it can be dark brown, sometimes with the addition of green specks or brown with reddish tints.

Another feature by which you can easily determine that this particular spider is in front of you is a method of protection, which also determines its appearance. During the threat from the environment, he takes a very interesting position, stands on his hind legs, and raises the front legs up. During such a ritual, he sways from side to side, his chelicerae (jaw apparatus) turn crimson-red.

Reproduction and life cycle

It often occurs in nature that female insects are larger than the male, this is also the case with spiders. After mating, the female can eat the male, but some species live in families, in the same nest, and since the Brazilian is constantly wandering, it sometimes happens that the male spider is a victim.

For adult representatives, the mating dance looks very interesting. The male offers the caught food to the female, which cannot resist and freezes. At this time, mating occurs.

After a few weeks, the female lays eggs in a cocoon and protects it until young nymphs appear, which then independently disperse through the tropics and wander in search of food in order to grow to large sizes.

Diet

During constant movement, the spider looks for prey for itself, which can be insects, small spiders, even attacks tropical frogs, birds and lizards.

The arthropod got its name "banana" for its special addiction to fruits. Because of this, the spider can often be found in banana boxes prepared for export. Thus, it can be brought to another country.

But the basis of the diet is still meat. Once inside, the poison turns the insides into broth, which is subsequently sucked out by insects.

Lifestyle

The soldier spider is so called for its manner of raising its front legs upward; it is a nocturnal inhabitant, that is, in the daytime it hides in a cool place. Such a place can be a driftwood or a stone (on the ground). Seeing the prey, the spider immediately makes itself felt. The insect wanders at night.

During an attack on small animals, he plunges his jaws and injects poison into the body, which paralyzes the animal after a couple of seconds. If the insect managed to enter the house, then it immediately hides.

His storage can be boots, clothes, hats. And therefore, people can suffer due to their illiteracy, that is, without checking the garments before putting them on.

Habitat

Its habitat is the tropics and subtropics of South America. They prefer an earthly location, but they often climb onto tree trunks and hide in dense, damp foliage.

In Russia, such a representative of wildlife has not been recorded, but you still should not be careful. There is a replacement for him, which is not inferior in danger - this is a black widow.

Danger to humans

The poison of the Brazilian representative of arthropods for humans is mortal.

It contains a neurotoxin that, when released into a person's bloodstream, causes the following symptoms:

• dizziness;
• increased blood pressure;
• increased body temperature and fever;
• asthma attacks followed by respiratory arrest;
• stiffness of the limbs;
• complete atrophy of muscle mass.

The poison is most dangerous for males, the reasons for this are unclear. They have a painful erection that lasts a long time.

If you managed to meet a banana spider, then after biting once, it does not try to escape, but strives to do it again. Once in the child's blood, the neurotoxin causes a severe allergic reaction, in which in some cases the child cannot be saved without even taking him to the nearest emergency room.

And since South American countries are not very rich in experienced medical workers, and some settlements do not see them at all, an antidote that is not introduced in time takes a person's life.

Important! The insect does not attack the victim on its own. This happens in the case of self-defense. For example, if you put on a boot that has a spider in it and thereby crushed it, it is no wonder that it will bite you. Therefore, caution is needed here.

An interesting wandering American fact that describes the symptoms of a spider bite. The incident happened in 1998. While sorting bananas into boxes, he was accidentally bitten by a soldier spider. It looked like this: as if a long sharp dagger had been stuck into the hand.

The hand immediately swelled, my head began to spin sharply. The heartbeat increased to such an extent that it seemed to him that it would burst out. Breathing stopped, spasms appeared. The doctors were in the right place and on time, injected him with an antidote, which made the American stand on his feet the very next day.

Time from bite to death

This concept is very vague, since it is impossible to define this period of time with the same name, it all depends on the resistance of the human body and the immune system.

Video: Spider Danger

If you believe the stories of travelers, then this time can be 30 minutes if the bite fell on a small child. And a little longer if an adult is bitten. Not every time there is a doctor with an antidote nearby, so an encounter with a spider can end tragically.

Lethal dose of poison

It is believed that one bite and an injected portion of the poisonous substance is enough for death to occur. During a bite, a person may not feel the injection of poison, but after a second the skin begins to burn, the poison enters the lymph and blood. In 80% of cases, you have cardiac arrest.

If we determine the amount of poison that is needed to kill its victim, then it is as follows: for a small rodent, 6 mcg is enough directly into the blood and a little more, about 130 mcg under the skin. You can calculate the dose for a person, given that the average weight of a rodent is about 50 grams.

Antidote

Today, medical scientists have nevertheless developed an antidote against the action of the poison of the Brazilian wandering insect.

Getting it is a very difficult process, but it still helps many. Due to the presence of the antidote, mortality from bites is reduced. According to statistics, it is 3%.

Conclusion

Summing up the whole story, we note that a spider causes danger if he himself senses a danger from the environment, he himself will not attack first. This must be remembered every time you encounter an arthropod, be it a Brazilian or another poisonous spider.

But there are real extremists in exotic breeding. And the Brazilian spider is their favorite pet, which is kept in glass terrariums.

Video: Brazilian Wandering Spider

The Brazilian wandering spider is fast and very active. All would be fine, but it is also very poisonous. He is even ranked among the ten most dangerous spiders on Earth. This spider deservedly received its self-explanatory name: it does not weave webs, like most spiders, because it does not need it. A wandering spider never lives in one place, but always wanders. It is unpleasant for a person that sometimes he comes into houses. In South America, these spiders are often found in clothes or in boxes with things and food.

The wandering spider is found only in America, and even then most often in tropical and subtropical regions. There are two types of Brazilian wandering spiders - jumping spiders, which chase their prey with jerky jumps, and running spiders. The latter run very fast, but they are nocturnal, and during the day they sit under stones or hide in some other place, including in people's houses.

The Brazilian wandering spider loves to feast on bananas, will not miss the opportunity to climb into the box with this fruit. For its addiction, this spider received another name - the banana spider. But the main food for him is still not fruit. He hunts mainly other spiders and insects, and it also happens that he attacks birds and lizards that are larger than him.

He himself is a rather medium-sized predator - only some 10 cm.But his small size does not prevent him from being an excellent hunter and a serious problem for people, and this is all because he is able, when bitten, to release a solid dose of toxic poison that is formed at the ends of the chelicera, in channels of poisonous glands.

Perhaps the venom of a wandering spider is less dangerous than the venom of snakes. He is unlikely to be able to kill an adult healthy person - it will only cause a serious allergic reaction, which modern medicine is able to quickly cope with. But if a Brazilian wandering spider bites a sick person or a small child, then the poison can act faster than an ambulance arrives.

In 1998, one of these spiders bit a 23-year-old American who was sorting through a box of bananas. The spider was hiding in it. The spider, angry at being disturbed, bit the man's hand. He immediately went to the hospital, where he received help. This is how an American describes his condition: “When the spider bit me, I felt a thorn penetrate my hand very deeply. And my head immediately became like a balloon ... My chest was so tight that I could hardly breathe. Blood pressure soared, almost to the ceiling, and my heart was pounding so hard that I could physically feel it beating my chest. Honestly, I thought I was going to die. " Doctors injected the victim with an antidote and thus saved his life. The patient was discharged the next day.

But there are also tragic encounters with stray spiders. In the home of a Brazilian family, a wandering spider hid in the attic. The younger children found him and wanted to play. The spider grabbed the hand of the youngest daughter. When his brother tried to throw him away, the spider bit the boy too. The parents immediately called an ambulance. The doctors arrived half an hour later, but by this time the three-year-old girl had died, they could not save her.

Fortunately for the inhabitants of Russia, wandering spiders do not live here and are unlikely