Brazilian wandering spider bite consequences. Where does the Brazilian wandering spider Phoneutria live?

Brazilian wandering spiders are the most venomous spiders on the planet. They belong to the genus Phoneutria, which consists of several species of spiders. Several of these species, including Phoneutria nigriventer, Phoneutria keyserlingi and Phoneutria fera are called Brazilian wandering spiders.

The term "Brazilian wandering spider" actually refers not only to one spider, but to a number of extremely poisonous species spiders found mainly in South (especially Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Suriname, Peru and Guyana) and Central America. They belong to the genus Phoneutria, which is a member of the venomous spider family Ctenidae.

The Brazilian wandering spider is a very poisonous and aggressive spider. It is also known as the "banana" spider (because these spiders are often found in bunches of bananas). The Brazilian wandering spider "wanders" on the ground in the jungle, rather than living in a burrow or building a web.

Species of Brazilian wandering spiders

According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), the genus of venomous spiders Ctenidae contains the following types Brazilian wandering spiders: Phoneutria fera, Phoneutria nigriventer, Phoneutria bahiensis, Phoneutria boliviensis, Phoneutria eickstedtae, Phoneutria keyserlingi, Phoneutria pertyi and Phoneutria reidyi.

All types of Brazilian wandering spiders mainly brown, hairy and have black spot on the stomach. These spiders reach large sizes, with a leg span of about 15 cm and a body size of up to 5 cm.

These spiders are nocturnal hunters, so they spend most of the day hiding in crevices or under logs and come out at night to hunt. They feed on insects, small reptiles, amphibians, mice and other smaller spiders.

Brazilian wandering spider - bite and its consequences.

A Brazilian wandering spider bite can cause full-blown poisoning or be limited to a few painful punctures in the skin. The two most famous and dangerous species wandering spiders are Phoneutria fera and Phoneutria nigriventer.

Brazilian wandering spiders are known for their aggressiveness, as well as their highly venomous bite. However, it is interesting that this behavior is actually a defense mechanism.

When threatened or attacked, they raise their first two pairs of legs, signaling to their predators that they are ready to attack. Their biting is thus an act of self-defense, and they only do so when provoked, either accidentally or deliberately.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are bitten by one of these spiders, you may experience symptoms such as sweating, goosebumps, and severe burning pain at the site of the bite.

Within 30 minutes or so, an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) occurs, blood pressure increases, abdominal cramps occur, body temperature drops below normal, nausea, dizziness, blurred vision and seizures begin.

If you are bitten by a wandering spider, you should immediately seek medical attention from an appropriate facility, regardless of whether there are initial symptoms. This is very important as the poison can threaten your life.

The venom of these spiders is a complex cocktail of toxins, peptides and proteins that affects ion channels and chemical receptors in the neuromuscular system of the victims.

It so happens that the poison that is Brazilian spider Phoneutria nigriventer injects into its prey, contains several toxic polypeptide fractions. Some of them have been purified and shown to contain the very potent neurotoxin PhTx-3 and six neurotoxic peptides (Tx3-1-Tx3-6).

The experiment showed that PhTx3 and one of the named peptides, TX3-3, act as calcium channel blockers, reducing its amount. A decrease in the amount of calcium affects the entry of glutamate3 and acetylcholine2 into the rat brain.

Speaking in simple words, the venom of Brazilian wandering spiders affects brain function and disorients the victim.

Phoneutria is very interesting spiders, but to keep them in captivity, it is necessary great experience in keeping very fast and aggressive spiders. If not, then it is better to stay away from this species because of their dangerous poison. They are easy to keep and unpretentious in food, but require reasonable and respectful treatment.

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The most poisonous spider in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records, it is considered “ Brazilian wandering pau To". This spider got its name because it does not sit in one place and does not weave webs, but actively moves in search of food. Others are extremely dangerous spider counts Black Widow- which can be found in the Caucasus and Crimea.

Brazilian wandering spider ( Phoneutria) - fast, very active and most importantly - poisonous. Brazilian name of the animal: aranha armadeira, aranha de bananeira (aranha armadeira, aranha de bananeira) - armed spider or banana spider.

This spider deservedly received its self-explanatory name: it does not weave webs, like most spiders, because it does not need it. The wandering spider never lives in one place, but always wanders. What is unpleasant for a person is that sometimes he enters houses. In South America, these spiders are often found in clothes or in boxes with clothes and food.

The wandering spider is found only in America, and even then most often in tropical and subtropical regions. There are two types of Brazilian wandering spiders - jumping spiders, which pursue their prey with jerky jumps, and running spiders. The latter run very fast, but lead night image life, and during the day they sit under stones or hide in some other place, including in people's houses.

The Brazilian wandering spider loves to feast on bananas and will not miss the opportunity to climb into a box with this fruit. For its addiction, this spider received another name - the banana spider. But the main food for him is still not fruits. It hunts mainly other spiders and insects, and it also happens that it attacks birds and lizards that are larger than it.

He himself is a rather small predator - only about 10 cm. But his small size does not prevent him from being an excellent hunter and a serious problem for people, and all because he is able to release a significant dose when biting toxic poison, which is formed at the ends of the chelicerae, in the channels of the poisonous glands.

Maybe it's poison wandering spider less dangerous than snake venom. Adult healthy person it is unlikely to be able to kill - it will only cause serious allergic reaction, which modern medicine can quickly cope with. But if a Brazilian wandering spider bites a sick person or small child, then the poison may act faster than it arrives ambulance. Some specimens of this spider are so dangerous that human death can occur within 20-30 minutes if immediate help is not provided.

Fortunately for the people of Russia, wandering spiders they do not live here and are unlikely to ever appear: the climate is not entirely suitable. But you still need to remember to be careful when handling these arthropods, in case you still have to meet them.

By itself, the wandering spider does not attack humans. It bites only in self-defense. But the problem is that these spiders like to hide and are very difficult to notice. If you find a wandering spider, try to quickly take it out of the house and look through all the boxes and cabinets to see if there is another one in them. If possible, you need to be as careful as possible and under no circumstances pick up the spider.

Karaku?rt(from the Turkic “kara” - black and “kurt” - worm, insect; lat. Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) or steppe spider - a type of poisonous spider from the genus of black widows.

Karakurt- spider average size(female 10-20 mm, male 4-7 mm), black with red dots on the abdomen. Distributed in desert and steppe zone Central Asia, in the Caucasus, Crimea, as well as in Iran, Afghanistan and along the banks Mediterranean Sea. Favorite places habitats - virgin wormwood, wastelands, banks of irrigation ditches, slopes of ravines, etc.

Only female spiders are dangerous to humans and farm animals. The female's bites can be fatal to humans and animals such as camels and horses. The male, having a much smaller size, does not pose a danger to humans, since he cannot bite through the rather thick human skin. It does not pose a danger to animals to the same extent as the female. Mature females are the most poisonous. Karakurt poison is not only 15 times stronger than poison one of the most terrible snakes - the rattlesnake, but in general is one of the most toxic substances of organic origin on Earth.

The frequency of bites in some years increases sharply due to mass reproduction karakurt. The number of victims increases during periods of migration of female spiders - in the summer months.

Karakurt poison neurotoxic, causes an extremely intense release of acetylcholine at neuromuscular synapses, as well as acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine and alpha-aminobutyrate at the synapses of the central nervous system, as well as intense release in the sympathetic-adrenal system.

The cause of the bite is most often the crushing of a spider that accidentally crawled into the victim’s clothes or bed. In most cases, people sleeping or resting in shaded areas are bitten. Lesions predominate in rural areas and in the field. In cities, karakurt bites are extremely rare.

Karakurt often attacks a person unexpectedly. Particularly active in summer at night. The bite is not painful and is often not felt by the victim. The local reaction to the poison is absent or very weakly expressed - around the bite site there may be a zone of pale skin (several centimeters in diameter), surrounded by a rim of weak hypermia. In most cases, there are no local changes and it is extremely difficult to find the bite site. Sometimes the bite feels like a needle prick. Due to the low pain of the bite (unlike stings by scorpions and wasps), many victims, especially those bitten at night during sleep, do not associate their sudden illness with the bite poisonous insect, seek medical help due to general manifestation intoxication.

General toxic phenomena are developing quickly, 5-30 minutes after the bite, and progress rapidly. The severity of poisoning varies from relatively mild, rapidly transient forms to extremely severe, sometimes deaths. Severe forms are characterized by excruciating muscle pain, combined with paresthesia in the limbs, lower back, abdomen and chest. Patients are excited, often covered in cold sweat, fear of death is expressed, the face is tense, hyperemic, sclera " poured"Blood, poor facial expressions, pained facial expression. Watery eyes are often observed. Soon after the bite, severe muscle weakness develops, especially lower limbs, as a result of which patients have difficulty moving or cannot stand on their feet at all. Excruciating pain syndrome (aching, pulling and tearing pains of different localization) is combined with severe muscle tension.

The abdominal muscles are often very tense, which, together with a dry tongue, intestinal paresis (weakened peristalsis, no gases), severe leukocytosis and an increase in body temperature to 38 C and above, imitate the picture of an acute abdomen (cases of erroneous surgical intervention with karakurt bites). Nausea and vomiting may also occur. However, the correct diagnosis is easy to make when other symptoms are taken into account. Tension and dysfunction of the muscles of the limbs, back, occipital (thrown head back, positive Kernig syndrome), their tremors and convulsive twitching, dysfunction of the respiratory muscles (saccade breathing), spasm of the sphincters - narrow pupils, urinary retention with an overstretched bladder, increased blood pressure (toxogenic Karakurt hypertension) - create a very characteristic picture of the disease and allow you to make the correct diagnosis.

In extremely severe cases excitation gives way to apathy, depression, confusion (sometimes with psychotic reactions), collapse and progressive shortness of breath with symptoms of pulmonary edema (crepitus and moist rales, foamy sputum).

Some sick A rose-colored rash appears on the skin. The acute phase of intoxication is especially characterized by the phenomenon of layering of pain of different nature and localization on top of each other, combined with a feeling of fear, excitement, sharp muscle weakness and tension of various muscle groups, disturbances of peristalsis and urination, increased blood pressure and body temperature. In mild forms of poisoning, the painful phenomena stop by the end of the first day; in moderate and severe forms, they can last 3-4 days.

Immediately after the bite ( but no later than two minutes later) you can burn the bitten area with a flammable match - the heating destroys the poison that has not had time to be absorbed. This method is indispensable when away from medical care. In other cases, urgent hospitalization is required. Otherwise, the bite can lead to the most disastrous results.

Runner, banana, wanderer... these are not just a bunch of words. This is the name of one of the most dangerous spiders in the world, which is capable of taking a person’s life in less than an hour. The Brazilian soldier spider is one of the most common names for a deadly poisonous spider that keeps residents of Central and South America. Recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the most dangerous and poisonous of the spider family.

What death looks like and how it lives

The spider once ranked first in the world in terms of danger, but now the Brazilian soldier spider is on the throne. This is a very active and aggressive animal, which, unlike its relatives, does not weave webs, does not live in the same place for a long time, but loves to travel.

Its color also varies depending on its habitat, but, as a rule, it is the color of sandy soil, which allows for excellent camouflage. The area next to the chelicerae is colored red, this helps to first attract and then intimidate the enemy. The size of the spider can reach 15 centimeters, along with the span of its large legs.

During the daytime he often sits under stones and logs, waiting for night to come when he feels more comfortable. Wandering all day long, the soldier spider sometimes wanders into people's homes and can hide in their clothes scattered on the floor, in shoes, climb into boxes or something similar. This spider loves to hide in banana boxes, which is why it is often called the “banana” spider; sometimes it can even snack on the bananas themselves.

If the spider encounters an enemy, it raises its front legs and places its body vertically, exposing its red “zone” next to the chelicerae.

What does a predator eat?

Sometimes, but very rarely, with bananas, while living in banana boxes, more often with various insects. But this spider also has the reputation of an aggressive predator because it can easily attack something small or even if they are larger than it.

Spider – soldier and man

Like most animals, even the most dangerous and aggressive ones, the Brazilian soldier spider will not be the first to rush into battle; it attacks and bites only in case of danger to life.

As noted earlier, due to its inconspicuous appearance and great love“play hide and seek” in people’s houses and belongings, encounters with this spider are very frequent and sometimes end, alas, very sadly. According to various sources, a bite from a soldier spider is fatal in 85% of cases. Its venom is incredibly toxic, causing paralysis of all muscles, resulting in a person dying from suffocation. There is an antidote that is no less toxic than the poison itself.

Despite all the negative aspects, scientists have found that the poison Brazilian soldier spider can have a positive effect on men's sex life. The toxin contained in the poison can cure impotence, and in at the moment Scientists are studying how to combine the toxin with existing drugs in order to effectively and safely treat male ailments.

B The banana spider (Phoneutria) or, as it is also called, the Brazilian wandering spider, has the most dangerous poison. The banana spider was included in the Guinness Book of Records in 2010 thanks to its poison. The Brazilian wandering spider belongs to the runner family (Ctenidae ) and has a rather narrow habitat.

Who discovered the Brazilian wandering spider?

The Brazilian wandering spider was discovered in 1833 by the German zoologist Maximilian Perti. He described the genus Phoneutria to which he classified 2 species of this family: Phoneutria rufibarbis And Phoneutria fera. Translated from Greek, the name of the genus is translated as “killer”. As of 2016, the worldwide catalog of spiders includes 8 representatives of the genus Phoneutria. The name of the spider is justified by the fact that this species is not attached to specific place and does not weave webs, he hunts at night in the depths tropical forests. The name banana spider was given because it was very often found in the fruits of this particular fruit.

Where does the Banana Spider live?

The banana spider is distributed mainly in South America. The Brazilian wandering spider is found in the forests of Costa Rica and throughout South America. Encounters with this spider have been recorded in countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. Three species of the genus Phoneutria have been discovered in the Amazon region. One species lives in Central America, namely Panama and Costa Rica. The remaining species are scattered throughout the forests of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The Brazilian wandering spider is not found only in the northeastern region. Due to the fact that this spider is not tied to a specific area and travels quite often when transporting goods, its bites are recorded in different parts planets. As an example, we can cite different regions North America and even Europe. Cases of bites have been recorded in England and Spain. It often hides in bundles of fruit, namely bananas, so be careful.

Description and behavior of the Banana Spider

The banana spider has a body length from 17 to 45 millimeters. Its limbs are between 13 and 15 centimeters long. The Brazilian wandering spider can be quite easily confused with some other spider genera, such as the genus Ctenus. It can be distinguished by the presence of dense hair on the pedipalps. Although this difference cannot be considered very significant, how hallmark should still be specified. Another way to identify a banana spider can be a black line running along the entire length of the arthropod’s body from the head. But this feature is not the most important difference from other spiders. The most important indicator of the Banana Spider can be considered its behavior, because when a threat arises, it takes a special defensive pose. The defensive posture of the Brazilian wandering spider consists of highly raised forelimbs, and it is this defensive reaction that allows this species to be identified. Phoneutria nigriventer contains the most dangerous neurotoxin PhTx3 in its venom. Depending on the dosage, it is widely used in medicine, but if the toxicity limit is exceeded, it is very dangerous. The venom causes loss of muscle control, leading to suffocation or cardiac arrest. Another characteristic symptom of a banana spider bite is preapism. The bite of the Brazilian wandering spider is quite painful. It is known that females produce much more powerful poison than males. So that you understand the danger of this species, in order to kill a mouse weighing 20 grams you need 6 micrograms of poison. There is an antidote for the venom of the banana spider, which is very effective for its bites. As a result, the number of deaths has dropped to a minimum.

The Brazilian wandering spider lives in South and Central America. This large hairy spider is considered the most poisonous spider in the whole world. Brazilian wandering spiders sometimes wander into settlements and are found among cargoes of tropical fruits, so it is useful to know them appearance and habits, especially if you find yourself in their habitat. When bitten by this spider, immediate attention is required. medical care. However, don't panic! Brazilian wandering spider bites are almost always treatable.

Steps

Appearance and habits of the Brazilian wandering spider

The length of the spider including its legs is approximately 15 centimeters. An adult Brazilian wandering spider has a body about 5 centimeters long. At a glance, it is easier to determine the total length, that is, the distance from the end of the hind legs to the end of the front legs, which reaches about 15 centimeters. Be careful if you come across such a large spider.

The spider will most likely be brown and hairy. Although the color of Brazilian wandering spiders varies, most are dirty brown in color and some have a black spot on their abdomen. The body of all Brazilian wandering spiders is covered with hair.

Brazilian wandering spiders move quickly. They got their name due to the fact that they move quickly along the ground. tropical forest. Spiders are capable of attacking their victims with lightning speed, so be careful if you come across a fast-moving spider in the range of the Brazilian wandering spider.

If the spider shows its red jaws, back away slowly. When the Brazilian wandering spider is frightened, it rises up on its hind legs. In this fearsome pose, some species of the Brazilian wandering spider display red hairs around their fangs. Such a defensive stance indicates that the spider is angry, in which case you should retreat carefully and slowly.

Don't hesitate trying to get a better look at the spider. If you are traveling in South and Central America or live where Brazilian wandering spiders are found, do not hesitate if you notice large spider. If in any doubt, do not try to make sure that it is a Brazilian wandering spider, but slowly move away to avoid angering the animal.

• Don't try to catch the spider. If you suspect a Brazilian wandering spider has wandered into your home or utility room, call wildlife control and vacate the property until experts arrive.

1. Be careful in dark places. The Brazilian wandering spider is nocturnal and skillfully hides in the forest floor of the tropical jungle. This “wandering” lifestyle sometimes leads to the spider wandering into populated areas, where it tries to hide from sunlight in secluded places, for example:

   • in dark closets, closets, etc.;
   • under sheds and in garages;
   • in cars;
   • in unused clothing, shoes, gloves;
   • in kitchen cabinets;
   • in boxes and crates in the attic or garage;
   • in firewood.

2. Be careful when opening fruit packages. This spider is also called a banana spider, as it loves to crawl into bananas and may end up in a package with these fruits. Although it is quite rare, be careful when unpacking fruits shipped from regions where the Brazilian wandering spider is found.

Preventing Bites

Wear protective gloves when working in dark areas or carrying firewood. If you live in the range of the Brazilian wandering spider, wear long sleeves, a hat and gloves, and tuck your pants legs into your socks when working in the garage or near firewood. It is advisable to use protective clothing also when working in the attic, utility room and basement.

If you haven't worn gloves, clothing or shoes in a while, shake them before use. The Brazilian wandering spider can hide in the folds of clothing and also crawl into cozy places such as gloves or boots. Lightly shake clothing and shoes before putting them on. However, don't shy away from them too much, or the hidden spider may become angry or scared.

• Don't panic if a spider falls out of your clothes or shoes. Slowly step aside and leave the room.

1. Check them before entering dark areas such as closets. Turn on the light. If there is no light in the room, take a flashlight with you and look in corners and cluttered areas.

   Install mosquito nets and doors that close tightly to prevent spiders from entering your home. The best way The key to avoiding being bitten in your own home is to keep spiders out of it! Check all mosquito nets and doors for any cracks or holes that could allow spiders to enter your home. Replace any broken or loose screens and doors.

   • To prevent uninvited guests from getting into your home, you can also spray insect and spider repellent around doors and windows.

2. Do not keep firewood near the house. Spiders love to hide among firewood, so don't keep them close to your home. Keep firewood and dead branches in the yard and handle them carefully.