Identifying a Tarantula Spider
Look for a very large, hairy body and hairy legs. However, some adult tarantulas can be less than 0.5 centimeter (0.2 in). The body length and height can be up to 3” (76 mm). The leg span can be as much as 3 to 5” (76 to 127 mm).
Check for a red-brown to black color; most tarantulas don’t have obvious markings. However color is extremely variable, and many other distantly related spiders are the same colour as many tarantulas.
Observe the form. A tarantula like all spiders has a frontal segment (opisthosoma) connected through a narrow waist to the abdomen which is oval-shaped.
Look for a single small group of typically eight eyes on the forehead, but all tightly clustered onto a single mound, not like shown here. This would be a huntsman. Another often confused are Wandering spiders, where two of the eight eights are lower down and closer to the mouth parts than the remaining eyes
Look at the features of the mouth area; there are two backward-pointing fangs just below the eyes and 2 pedipalps (leg-like appendages) near the mouth. The direction the fangs bite can be very diagnostic - if biting 'backwards' (paraxial) then this reduces the possible identity to just several broad groups (spider families) which includes tarantulas.
Notice the fangs; tarantula’s fangs (and in other close families) move up and down (paraxial), whilst all other spider’s fangs move horizontally (axial) to pinch.
Recognizing Tarantula Spider Habitats
Look for tarantulas in trees as well as under tree roots.
Examine rock cliffs for makeshift tarantula burrows.
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