BBC Wildlife reports that this dinner-plate-sized nightmare is the largest tarantula on Earth, with a body that extends nearly 5 inches and a leg span of up to 11.
It stalks the rainforest floor in South America, relying on leg hairs to sense vibrations because, despite its eight eyes, its vision is poor.
When it catches prey, it injects venom that liquefies tissue, slurping the remains like a gruesome smoothie.
Under threat, it launches clouds of barbed hairs that burrow into skin and eyes, causing lingering pain. Females even weave these hairs into egg sacs as a defense, booby-trapping their nests.
Would this heavyweight horror top your list of nature’s most armored nightmares?
Asli Akalin
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