Newly discovered Poecilotheria rajaei tarantula in Sri Lanka has the size of a human face

Photo source: Polyvore

Poecilotheria rajaei, a large species of tarantula, has been discovered in Sri Lanka. Poecilotheria are tree-dwelling tarantulas that are known for their potent venom but not lethal to humans. The goliath birdeater tarantula of South America’s leg span is a reported 8 inches and it may be the largest spider in the world. The spider’s covered in a variety of colors including yellow, pink and gray. The tarantula was technically first uncovered by a villager in 2009 while live spiders were recently discovered in an old hospital, among other places. Deforestation is one of Sri Lanka's chief environmental concerns that have made the number of the tree-dwelling spider dwindle. Besides, the tarantula is also threatened due to lack of suitable habitat. Let's share this post on Twitter so your friends can see the picture of this big spider.