![]() They possess two claws, as is the case for most spiders that actively hunt their prey. Members of this family are also typically less bulky than tarantulas. They are often confused for tarantulas due to their hairy nature, but can easily be distinguished by their laterigrade legs, similar to those of crabs. They can be distinguished from other spider families by their appearance, as other spiders similar to them are smaller in size. Nevertheless, their vision is quite sufficient to detect approaching humans or other large animals from some distance. ![]() The eyesight of these spiders is not nearly as good as that of the Salticidae ( jumping spiders). The tropical or brown huntsman ( Heteropoda) is also large and hairy, with mottled brown, white and black markings. The badge huntsman ( Neosparassus) is larger still, brown and hairy. The banded huntsman ( Holconia) is large, grey to brown with striped bands on its legs. They tend to live under rocks, bark and similar shelters, but human encounters are common in sheds, garages and other infrequently-disturbed places. Their legs bear fairly prominent spines, but the rest of their bodies are smoothly furry. On their upper surfaces the main colours of huntsman spiders are inconspicuous shades of brown or grey, but many species have undersides more or less aposematically marked in black-and-white, with reddish patches over the mouthparts. Persons unfamiliar with spider taxonomy commonly confuse large species with tarantulas, but huntsman spiders can generally be identified by their legs, which, rather than being jointed vertically relative to the body, are twisted in such a way that in some attitudes the legs extend forward in a crab-like fashion. Many species grow very large – in Laos, male giant huntsman spiders ( Heteropoda maxima) attain a legspan of 25–30 centimetres (9.8–11.8 in). The eyes appear in two largely forward-facing rows of four on the anterior aspect of the prosoma. ( November 2017) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. The wheel spider ( Carparachne aureoflava) from the Namib uses a cartwheeling motion which gives it its name, while Cebrennus rechenbergi uses a handspring motion. Several species of huntsman spider can use an unusual form of locomotion. More than a thousand Sparassidae species occur in most warm temperate to tropical regions of the world, including much of Australasia, Africa, Asia, the Mediterranean Basin, and the Americas. Commonly, they are confused with baboon spiders from the Mygalomorphae infraorder, which are not closely related. In southern Africa the genus Palystes are known as rain spiders or lizard-eating spiders. Larger species sometimes are referred to as wood spiders, because of their preference for woody places (forests, mine shafts, woodpiles, wooden shacks). ![]() They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. Palystes castaneus, showing sparassid pattern of eyes in two rows of four, with the robust build and non- clavate pedipalps of a female.
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