Sparassidae

Bertkau, 1872

Huntsman spiders, Giant crab spiders, Wood spiders

Genus Guides

Curicaberis
Decaphora
Heteropoda(Giant Huntsman Spiders)
Olios(Golden Huntsman Spiders)

Sparassidae, commonly known as huntsman spiders or giant crab spiders, comprises a of large, fast-moving araneomorph spiders distributed primarily in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Members are characterized by laterigrade legs—oriented horizontally to the body—that enable them to navigate narrow crevices and vertical surfaces with ease. The family includes both solitary and social , with some exhibiting prolonged subsociality where females share retreats with multiple of offspring for extended periods. Several species are known to occasionally appear in temperate regions through human commerce, particularly in banana shipments.

Olios by (c) Ken-ichi Ueda, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Ken-ichi Ueda. Used under a CC-BY license.

Olios by (c) Sunčana Bradley, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sunčana Bradley. Used under a CC-BY license.

Heteropoda venatoria by (c) Reynante Martinez, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Reynante Martinez. Used under a CC-BY license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Sparassidae: //spəˈræsɪdiː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Images

Distribution

Worldwide distribution with greatest diversity in tropical and subtropical regions. Native ranges include Central and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Mediterranean region. Some have been introduced to temperate areas including the United Kingdom and Germany. In North America north of Mexico, native species occur from southern California to western Texas, with additional species appearing sporadically through importation in cargo.

Human Relevance

Huntsman spiders frequently appear in international cargo, particularly banana shipments from Central America, Ecuador, and Colombia, leading to occasional misidentifications as medically important . The pantropical huntsman spider Heteropoda venatoria is among the most commonly submitted specimens for identification from cargo. Despite their large size and rapid movements, these spiders are not considered dangerously venomous to healthy humans. Their appearance in shipments can cause economic impacts through delayed unloading of perishable goods, unnecessary measures, and employee anxiety. Some species have become established outside native ranges through human-mediated transport.

Similar Taxa

SelenopidaeBoth exhibit laterigrade leg orientation and flattened bodies, leading to confusion. Selenopidae ('flatties') have six in one row and increasingly longer legs from front to back, whereas Sparassidae have different eye arrangements and leg proportions.
PhilodromidaeRunning crab spiders share the laterigrade leg feature and crab-like appearance. Philodromids typically have the second pair of legs longest, while Sparassidae show different leg proportions and generally larger body size.
ThomisidaeCrab spiders share laterigrade legs and ambush hunting . Thomisids have a more compact body form, often with enlarged legs for seizing prey, and lack the elongated, sprawling leg span characteristic of Sparassidae.

More Details

Social behavior

Research has documented four independent origins of sociality within Sparassidae: two separate origins of subsociality in Isopedella and origins of prolonged subsociality in Delena and Damastes. Prolonged subsociality involves females sharing retreats with multiple of offspring for 5–12 months, with siblings tolerating each other and sharing captured prey. This social system is notable given that sparassids do not use webs for prey capture, unlike most other social spiders.

Taxonomic diversity

The encompasses approximately 89 described and over 1,300 . Recent taxonomic revisions have established new genera including Curicaberis (2015) from North and Central America, and revised numerous existing genera such as Micrommata, Vindullus, Sparianthis, Rhitymna, and Sinopoda. Several species formerly placed in Olios have been transferred to other genera based on phylogenetic analysis.

Locomotion and habitat use

The laterigrade leg orientation—where legs are twisted at the base to project horizontally—allows these spiders to exploit narrow retreats under bark, in rock crevices, and within wooden structures. This , combined with adhesive leg structures, facilitates rapid movement on vertical surfaces and even gliding in some rainforest .