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Large spider in Roatan, Honduras
Sun, Jun 28, 2009 at 10:18 AM
We came across this spider crossing the road at night in Roatan Honduras. We were going to put something next to it to measure it, but right after I snapped the picture, a local ran up and stomped on it.
From leg-tip to leg-tip was about 5-6 inches.
-cd
Roatan Honduras

Giant Crab Spider

Dear cd,
Those locals have no respect for wildlife.  We believe this is a Giant Crab Spider in the family Sparassidae, possibly the Banana Spider or Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda venatoria.  That species is native to Asia, but has spread around the world in warmer countries with the popularity of bananas and the resulting agriculture and trade.  It is a hunting species that is nocturnal.  We would gladly defer to an expert who can provide more conclusive information.

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