Spiders around the world
South America
Silk retreats, shared capture webs and wandering hunters reveal contrasting ways of life.
Discover species and habitats ↓South America
Our selection reaches from tropical canopies to the forest floor. The species have different ranges; they do not all inhabit the same rainforest.
Explore the region ↗
Diversity & species portraits
A tarantula among the branches
Avicularia avicularia introduces the arboreal tarantulas of South America.
Artistic illustration by Aik (AI), based on an idea by Mario (human). Not to scale; not a reference for species identification.
Diversity & species portraits
Spines in an orb web
Gasteracantha cancriformis shows how varied an orb weaver’s silhouette can be.
Artistic illustration by Aik (AI), based on an idea by Mario (human). Not to scale; not a reference for species identification.
Diversity & species portraits
A web for a community
Anelosimus eximius forms lasting social colonies, including in South American lowland rainforests.
Artistic illustration by Aik (AI), based on an idea by Mario (human). Not to scale; not a reference for species identification.
Diversity & species portraits
A wandering spider beyond the headlines
Phoneutria nigriventer deserves a factual account of its life, defence and venom.
Artistic illustration by Aik (AI), based on an idea by Mario (human). Not to scale; not a reference for species identification.
Diversity & species portraits
The Goliath birdeater
Theraphosa blondi · Size is only part of its story.
Artistic illustration by Aik (AI), based on an idea by Mario (human). Not to scale; not a reference for species identification.