# Help me identify this \[spider\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 29, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406 "2013-12-29T14:00:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aman27deep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aman27deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aman27deep)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/1 "2013-12-29T14:00:22Z")
I found it in my room, and it’s very large. Help me identify the species? If it’s poisonous I’ll kill it, otherwise not. [![](http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20131229/na3y4u4y.jpg) ](http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20131229/na3y4u4y.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/2 "2013-12-29T14:05:28Z")
> [@Aman27deep](#): > > I found it in my room, and it’s very large. Help me identify the species? If it’s poisonous I’ll kill it, otherwise not. > > [http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/29/na3y4u4y.jpg](http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/29/na3y4u4y.jpg) It would probably help to know where you are in the world: this is a pretty international board. ---
**Author:** ![Aman27deep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aman27deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aman27deep)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/3 "2013-12-29T14:08:01Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > It would probably help to know where you are in the world: this is a pretty international board. Oh, my bad. I’m currently in Calcutta, India. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/4 "2013-12-29T15:48:01Z")
Thread title edited to better indicate subject. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![hibernicus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hibernicus/32/2802_2.png) [@hibernicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hibernicus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/5 "2013-12-29T16:26:22Z")
That looks like a huntsman spider to me. I don’t know what kind. Edited to add: > [@](#): > > Like practically all spiders apart from the Uloboridae and some Liphistiidae and Holarchaeidae,[6] Sparassidae use venom to immobilise prey and to assist in digestion. They have been known to inflict defensive bites, but are not widely regarded as dangerous to healthy humans.[7] Huntsman spiders are widely considered beneficial because they feed on insect pests such as cockroaches. From [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huntsman_spider#Venom_and_aggression) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/6 "2013-12-29T16:52:33Z")
> [@hibernicus](#): > > That looks like a huntsman spider to me. I don’t know what kind. That looks like a good possibility. [These](http://th09.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/344/9/6/indian_huntsman_spider_by_aishwarya26april-d6xfxul.jpg) [images](http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8502/8280422928_1f0590d9a6_o.jpg) are also identified as Indian huntsman spiders. [_Heteropoda venatoria_](http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/spiders/giant_crab_spider.htm) is somewhat similar but the markings appear different. ---
**Author:** ![Aman27deep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aman27deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aman27deep)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/7 "2013-12-29T17:19:33Z")
Thank you. Since it can’t kill me, I won’t kill it. Cheers. ---
**Author:** ![slowlearner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@slowlearner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slowlearner)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2013, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-me-identify-this-spider/677406/8 "2013-12-29T23:45:22Z")
Yay! Spiders got friends in India!