Technically, the giant huntsman spider has longer legs – but it weighs considerably less! up close with nature / Getty Images While the Goliath birdeater is the most massive spider, the giant huntsman (Heteropoda maxima) tends to have longer legs and a bigger appearance.Huntsman spiders are recognizable by the twisted orientation of their legs, which gives them a crab-like walk. The giant huntsman spider from the Heteropoda genus was discovered in Laos in 2001. Huntsman spider (Heteropoda sp.) The Goliath birdeater is the king of spiders. Goliath bird-eating spiders can grow up to 4.7 inches in length, weigh up to 6 ounces, and have a leg span of 11 inches. The largest species of arachnid by length is probably the giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima) of Laos, which in 2008 replaced the Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) of northern South America as the largest known spider by leg-span. The Facebook spider image did not match this description of a huntsman with the first two pairs of legs being the longest. This spider lives in caves. with beetle prey, Ulu Selangor, Selangor, Malaysia. The Goliath Birdeating Spider – largest spider in the world! Do huntsman spiders deserve their fearsome reputation? The Goliath birdeater is the world’s largest spider, by weight. The Goliath birdeater spider is a stealth hunter in South American forests. While this massive tarantula is called a “bird-eater,” this name is actually a bit of a misconception. A Goliath bird-eater spider can reach up to 12 inches in leg span and can weigh over 170 grams or 6 ounces. Contrary to what their name would suggest, these spiders very rarely feed on birds. The huntsman spider has better eyesight than most spiders but not as keen as a jumping spider’s. AAP FactCheck traced the image of the spider alongside the man’s hand back to a Facebook post from November 11, 2015 by the Goliath Bird-eating Tarantula Club. Goliath birdeaters rarely, if ever, eat birds! Goliath Birdeater spiders are the largest spiders in the world, both in weight and size, but the giant huntsman spider does have a larger leg-span. These heavyweights can weigh in at over 6 oz., and be up to 11 in. You may have seen the video of a huntsman spider falling on a man’s face, or more … There are two accepted answers: the Goliath Birdeater — a member of the tarantula family — and the Giant Huntsman. The huntsman's legs, rather than bending vertically relative to … The video poster misidentifies the species as a Goliath birdeater spider. They also inhabit houses and outdoor toilets. 3.) 5.) Biggest Spider by Leg Span. across with their legs spread. This is the largest spider in the world by mass, weighing up to 6oz and having a leg span of almost 12 inches. The Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) belongs to the tarantula family Theraphosidae.Found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass – 175 g (6.2 oz) – and body length – up to 13 cm (5.1 in) – but it is second to the giant huntsman spider by leg span. Huntsman Spiders are found living under loose bark on trees, in crevices on rock walls and in logs, under rocks and slabs of bark on the ground and on foliage. Although the giant huntsman spider has the largest leg span of all spiders, the goliath bird-eating spider (Theraphosa blondi) is the largest of all spiders and beats the giant huntsman in every other category. Some sources say the giant huntsman spider, due to its sprawling leg span, is bigger than the Goliath birdeater. 4.)