Phoneutria fera


Phoneutria fera is a species of a highly venomous spider in the family Ctenidae found in South America. It is commonly known as the Brazilian wandering spider and the banana spider, although these names are applied to other species in the genus Phoneutria, particularly Phoneutria nigriventer. P. fera tends to spend a larger amount of time in vegetation during the early period of its life and spends more time on the ground once it becomes larger. This is more common in females, since they are usually larger than males. While there are no known studies on the toxicity of the venom of P. fera, due to its close relation to other members of the genus it is assumed to be of similar medical significance.