Stats

Lifespan: 1-2 yrs
Size: Large
Diet: Carnivore
Activity: Nocturnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Tropical rainforest
Range: South America
Movement: Walking
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Venom
Status: Rare

About

One of the world's most venomous spiders, Phoneutria fera earns its name by actively roaming the forest floor at night rather than waiting in a web. When threatened it rears up on its hind legs in a dramatic defensive stance, exposing its distinctive red chelicerae.

Life cycle

1.
egg sac
A silk-wrapped egg sac shelters a clutch of eggs until the young are ready to emerge.
2.
juvenile
A spiderling emerges from the egg sac already in miniature adult form and starts catching prey almost immediately.
3.
subadult
A near-adult arachnid molts through several instars, growing larger and developing mature markings.
4.
adult
Fully grown after its final molt.

Learn more

Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Ctenidae
Genus: Phoneutria
Species: Phoneutria fera