Harpactira gigas
Harpactira gigas, sometimes called the common baboon spider, is a species of spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae. It is found in South Africa from Western Cape Province north to Limpopo Province.
| Common baboon spider | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Harpactira |
| Species: | H. gigas |
| Binomial name | |
| Harpactira gigas | |
This reclusive spider, rarely encountered outside its burrow, reaches a body length of 55 mm, the female usually slightly larger than the male. The black carapace is marked with a distinctive pattern of radiating light brown lines, like the spokes of a wheel. Like all tarantulas, and almost all other spiders, this species is not considered dangerous to people.
References
- "Taxon details Harpactira gigas Pocock, 1898", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2016-04-10
- Preston-Mafham, Ken (1998). Spiders: Compact Study Guide and Identifier. Angus Books. ISBN 978-1-904594-93-2.
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