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What the sources say

Giant Huntsman SpiderHeteropoda maxima

Every figure, record and mechanism on the Giant Huntsman Spider profile was written from a source, and this is the working table behind it: 39 claims checked word for word against these sources. The left column is what the page says. The right column is the source's own words, copied, not paraphrased; a ... marks a cut and[brackets] an insertion. Open any source and check it yourself.

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Source
01

Australian Museum

Huntsman Spiders. Australian Museum.

The page saystags: predator
The source saysFood consists of insects and other invertebrates.Note: task #1110: the Australian Museum page covers the family Sparassidae, including the genus Heteropoda; no species-level source describes this spider's prey, and the tag rests on the family's carnivory

Source
02

Jäger 2001

Jäger (2001). A new species of Heteropoda (Araneae, Sparassidae, Heteropodinae) from Laos, the largest huntsman spider? Zoosystema 23(3): 461-465.

The page saysit could be the largest huntsman spider, with a body length of over 46 mm and a leg span of 250 to 300 mm
The source sayscould be the largest sparassid with over 46 millimeters body length and 250 to 300 millimeters legspan

Source
03

Jäger 2001

Jäger (2001). A new species of Heteropoda (Araneae, Sparassidae, Heteropodinae) from Laos, the largest huntsman spider? (full article). Zoosystema 23(3): 461-465.

The page saysThe province of Cammon, Laos, where at least one specimen came from a cave
The source saysDISTRIBUTION. — Laos, province of CammonNote: stats.habitat
The page saysIts species name comes from the Latin for "the largest".
The source saysFrom Latin maximus : the largest.
The page saysJäger came across it while sorting huntsman spiders at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris.
The source saysDuring a visit in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (MNHN) in Paris, material from the so-called Zoothèque was investigated. Sparassidae were sorted out by the author
The page saysA small group of large huntsman spiders from Laos stood out.
The source saysa small collection of large heteropodines from Laos was striking
The page saysHe asked whether they could be the largest members of their family, the Sparassidae.
The source saysthe question appeared, whether they could be the largest representatives of the family Sparassidae in the world
The page saysfrom the villages of Tham, Kouan Pha Vang and Na Kay Khia
The source saysLaos, province of Cammon (villages Tham, Kouan Pha Vang, Na Kay Khia)
The page saysAt least one label says they were caught in a grotto.
The source saysAt least one label indicates, that the specimens were caught in a grot.
The page saysIts long legs, pale colour and special hairs on the male's second pair of legs suggest it may live in caves
The source saysThe elongated legs (and especially the male cymbium), the special hairs on the second metatarsus of the male, and the pale color suggest that this species may be cavernicolous
The page saysJäger found all three traits in other cave-dwelling huntsman spiders.
The source saysAll three characters were found by the author also in other cave-dwelling sparassids.
The page saysIts eyes, however, are not reduced.
The source saysThe eyes, however, are not reduced.
The page saysa distinct reduction of the eyes is known so far in only one species of another genus
The source saysA distinct reduction of the eyes has been found within the Sparassidae so far only in one species of another genus
The page saysOnly two specimens were measured in full, because the specimens were in a fragile condition.
The source saysBecause of the fragile condition of the specimens only two specimens were measured totally.
The page saysNot Evaluated
The source saysHeteropoda maxima n. sp.Note: stats.conservationStatus. GBIF's copy of the Red List returns NOT_EVALUATED (code NE) for Heteropoda maxima Jäger, 2001, usage key 5171310, checked 2026-10-10. The prefetch found no Red List assessment DOI.
The page saysPrey not recorded; the species was described from museum specimens
The source saysis described from a collection from Laos deposited in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, ParisNote: stats.diet. The description's sections (type material, description, biology, relationships) mention no prey; no other cached source states a diet.
The page saysIn the male holotype, the specimen the name rests on, one leg of the second pair measured 128.1 mm.
The source saysII 31.1 10.1 39.0 41.0 6.9 128.1Note: Table 1, measurements of palp and legs of male holotype; total column.
The page saysThe females measured had longer abdomens, 18.0 to 29.3 mm
The source saysopisthosoma length 25.0 (18.0-29.3)Note: Female paratype PJ 1477 first, other adult paratypes in parentheses.
The page saysagainst 12.6 and 14.6 mm in the two males
The source saysopisthosoma length 12.6 (14.6)Note: Male holotype first, male paratype in parentheses.
The page saysBoth sexes are yellowish-brown with banded legs.
The source saysColor. Yellowish-brown with annulate legsNote: Male; the female section says 'Color. As in male.'
The page saysThe largest previously known, the Australian Beregama aurea, measured 41 mm in body length.
The source saysThe largest sparassids so far known are the Australian delenine Beregama aurea (L. Koch, 1875) of 41 mm body length
The page saysJäger called the new species the largest known sparassid spider.
The source saysThis is the largest known sparassid spider.
The page saysTwo of the specimen labels name caves: one reads "Grotte de Kouan Pha Vang", another "grottes près du village de Kouan Pha Vang" (caves near the village).
The source saysgrottes près du village de Kouan Pha VangNote: faq 2; the other label reads 'Grotte de Kouan Pha Vang, altitude 140 m, entrée SE'.
The page saysJäger also judged from its build that the species may be cavernicolous, or cave-dwelling.
The source sayssuggest that this species may be cavernicolousNote: faq 2
The page saysJäger described it from a collection already held at the Paris museum, whose labels record it as a gift ("don") from a Mademoiselle Colani.
The source saysdon de Mademoiselle ColaniNote: faq 3; abstract: 'described from a collection from Laos deposited in the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris'.
The page saysIts specimens were collected long before it had a name.
The source saysentrée no. 5-1933Note: faq 3; every type label carries the museum entry number 5-1933, and two give collection dates 18-11-30 and 19-11-30, so the specimens predate the 2001 description.
The page saysat least one specimen label says it was caught in a grotto
The source saysAt least one label indicates, that the specimens were caught in a grotNote: vibe.reason

Source
04

Mammola et al. 2017

Mammola et al. (2017). Record breaking achievements by spiders and the scientists who study them. PeerJ.

The page saysA spider found in caves in Laos, with a leg span of up to 30 cm.
The source saysdiscovered from caves in Laos, is possibly the largest known spider by leg span (up to 30 cmNote: tagline
The page saysA leg span of up to 30 cm
The source sayspossibly the largest known spider by leg span (up to 30 cmNote: stats.superpower
The page saysmost likely the species with the absolute longest walking legs
The source saysmost likely the species with the absolute longest walking legs
The page saysNo. A review of spider records names the goliath bird-eating spider as possibly the largest known spider by mass.
The source saysTheraphosa blondi is possibly the largest known spider by mass
The page saysOne review of spider records says it is most likely the species with the absolute longest walking legs.
The source saysmost likely the species with the absolute longest walking legs
The page saysLegs that span up to 30 cm
The source sayspossibly the largest known spider by leg span (up to 30 cmNote: vibe.reason

Source
05

Guinness World Records

Largest arachnid leg span. Guinness World Records.

The page sayshas legs that can stretch 30 cm across
The source sayswhose leg span can grow to 30 cm across
The page saysup to 30 cm, just ahead of the goliath bird-eating spider at up to 28 cm
The source sayswhose leg span can grow to 30 cm across, slightly exceeding that of the largest spider, the goliath bird-eating spider Theraphosa blondi , whose leg span measures up to 28 cm across
The page saysThe bird-eater is the heavier spider.
The source saysHowever, it is heavier than the giant huntsman.
The page saysScience had no name for it until 2001.
The source saysthis species remained undiscovered and undescribed by science until as recently as 2001
The page saysA 30 cm leg span
The source sayswhose leg span can grow to 30 cm across
The page saysLeg span record
The source saysThe largest arachnid leg span is that of the giant huntsman spider Heteropoda maximaNote: blockquote lead

How the table was made: a writer drafted the profile from these sources and logged each claim with its quote, a reviewer with nothing but this table checked every sentence said no more than its quote, and a script confirmed each quote appears word for word in the source. The method is in the site'sAbout page.