What Is the Size of a Tarantula?

Species of Tarantula

• The potential size of a tarantula depends on its species --- of which there are more than 890. The black tarantula originates in the grasslands of Brazil and Uruguay and is often considered an excellent pet because of its docile temperament. They possess a leg span of 5 to 6 inches, as does the Chilean rose hair tarantula, which roams the Atacama Desert in the Chilean north. The king baboon tarantula is a massive spider that is native to the dry scrublands of Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Its leg span can reach up to 9 inches. Green bottle blue tarantulas are endemic to Venezuela. They possess a leg span around 4.5 inches and are noted for their spectacularly colorful appearance, with a blue-green carapace, an orange abdomen and blue legs.

Average Tarantula Size

• All tarantula species possess a comparatively stocky body and are covered in fine hairs, which makes them appear bigger than they actually are. Although the largest species of tarantulas are often the best known to the public, the average leg span of tarantula species is between 2 and 6 inches.

Largest Tarantula

• The goliath bird-eating tarantula is considered the largest species of tarantula in the world. These huge spiders are native to northern Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. Goliath bird-eating tarantulas can have a leg span more than 10 inches across, with the largest specimen yet recorded possessing an 11-inch leg span. Their large size enables them to hunt relatively large prey, such as amphibians, birds, small mammals and reptiles, as well as insects. Due to their large size and often aggressive behavior, they are not considered ideal pets. The pink-foot goliath tarantula, also native to Venezuela, is said to grow to similar dimensions.

Smallest Tarantula

• The smallest tarantulas belong to Aphonopelma, a North American genus. While the genus also includes some of the U.S.' largest spiders, the dwarf species, such as Aphonopelma Paloma and Aphonopelma Mojave, often possess leg spans of under an inch. Dwarf tarantulas are found in California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Kansas and southward into Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. They are also native to Mexico.