Giant Assassin Spider

Giant Assassin Spider

*Heteropoda Monstrum*

Animal, Spider

* Largest Recorded Height: 28 centimetres

* Average Length: 1.5 metres

* Largest Recorded Length: 2.1 metres
* Average Width: 1.7metres
* Largest Recorded Width: 2.4metres
* Average Leg Diameter: 2.5 centimetres
* Largest Recorded Leg Diameter: 3 centimetres

* Average Life Expectancy: 16 years

* Longest Recorded Lifespan: 25 years

## Description

Giant Assassin Spider is an English translation of the Nesarian name, although English speakers more commonly call it the Monster Huntsman Spider or Colossal Huntsman Spider. They are the only Huntsman spiders that will build webs, although these webs are not primarily for hunting, and they appear to be a way of building a home, as they are sedentary. The Giant Assassin Spider is endemic to the jungles of Kuateoha.

Giant Assassin Spiders are the largest spiders in the world. Their skin is black, but they are covered in fur which is varying shades of brown and orange. They have powerful venom which causes paralysis and intense pain, and their large fangs often create significant wounds when biting. It can only cause mild paralysis in the affected limb in Humans, but it can fully paralyse animals as large as deer, and in small animals it can be severe enough to stop them breathing. They can build large and strong webs quickly, and are very agile for their size, being able to run at 8mph (the fastest of any spider), and they also have very good stamina - they can sprint continuously at top speed for up to 30 minutes.

Giant Assassin Spiders feed on a variety of animals. Their main method of attack for animals smaller than themselves is to pounce and eat them straight away, but for larger animals they inject their paralysing venom into the prey first, then follow it as it runs away, delivering a precise lethal blow when the paralysis kicks in and then proceeding to feed on the meat.

They are the slowest-breeding spiders, laying only up to 10 eggs every two years, although the offspring have relatively very low mortality rates, and the mother spider will care for her offspring for the first year of their lives. Both the mother and father will devote their time to raising, defending and getting food for the brood, but if not enough food can be found the father is usually cannibalised by the mother and the children.

They are generally friendly towards people and will not attack unless threatened, but those who have little experience with the creatures often find them terrifying and sometimes accidentally threaten them. They are curious, inquisitive creatures that are not averse to Human touch, but like all spiders do not really like to be petted. For their physical and mental wellbeing they require large open spaces in their natural jungle habitat, which means they cannot be kept in enclosures, but many people keep them outside by letting them build their homes in the garden, which the spider will always return to.

## As Food

Giant Assassin Spiders are poisonous and therefore cannot be eaten.

## Conservation

Giant Assassin Spiders naturally do not have very high numbers, and since they pose little threat to Humans or livestock, they are normally left alone. They have struggled to adapt to urbanisation and deforestation but in the thicker jungled areas they thrive as normal.