Real Cave Tarantula

That thing is massive!

Where can I get slings? :spider: :woohoo:

That IS a sling :evil:

It probably isn't all that big. Remember, the guy could be a meter or so behind it and the resulting optical illusion will make it look huge. Like that photo of the guy holding a Puff Adder on a stick or that crocodile with all the people standing behind it. Also, how do we know that it IS a tarantula? It could just be a cave dwelling mygalamorph.

F1refly wrote: It probably isn't all that big. Remember, the guy could be a meter or so behind it and the resulting optical illusion will make it look huge. Like that photo of the guy holding a Puff Adder on a stick or that crocodile with all the people standing behind it. Also, how do we know that it IS a tarantula? It could just be a cave dwelling mygalamorph.

I've seen that photo elsewhere, but I can't remember where, and I can't remember the name they gave it.

It's apparently a female, but what makes it look so large (in addition to the perspective issue) is its long legs. It hunts in absolute darkness by sensing vibrations. Longer legs give it a wider baseline for triangulating prey location.

And, theraphosid tarantulas ARE mygalomorphs, along with a bunch of other spiders. Perhaps you meant, " It could just be some other cave dwelling mygalamorph." Which might easily be even more interesting!

(Yeah! I know. Nit-picking cannuck! :S Sorry. :blush: )