Cargo-stowaways
Guides
Sparassidae
Huntsman spiders, Giant crab spiders, Wood spiders
Sparassidae, commonly known as huntsman spiders or giant crab spiders, comprises a family 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 species, with some genera exhibiting prolonged subsociality where females share retreats with multiple generations of offspring for extended periods. Several species are known to occasionally appear in temperate regions through human commerce, particularly in banana shipments.