The country of India is home to a wide variety of spiders, though several of them are yet to be discovered or classified. Their behavior varies greatly, with some, like the tarantulas using their venom to paralyze and capture their prey. In contrast, others, like the crab spiders, camouflage themselves. Most avoid human contact, with only spiders like the brown widow spider, considered deadly.
Spiders in India Identification Chart
Common Spiders in India
Tailed Cellar Spider | Giant Golden Orb-weaver Spider | — |
Biggest Spider in India
Indian Ornamental Tree Spider | — | — |
Dangerous Spiders in India
Brown Widow Spider | Indian Ornamental Tree Spider | Peacock Tarantula |
Most Venomous Spiders
Comb-footed Spiders
Sicariidae
Tarantulas
- Burmese Mustard Tarantula (Chilobrachys andersoni)
- Indian Violet Spider (Chilobrachys fimbriatus)
Less Venomous Spiders
Orb-weaver Spiders
- Kidney Garden Spider (Araneus mitificus)
- Oval St. Andrew’s Cross Spider (Argiope aemula)
- Tent Spider (Cyrtophora moluccensis)
- Oriental Spiny Orb-weaver Spider (Gasteracantha geminata)
- Hasselt’s Spiny Spider (Macracantha hasselti)
- Black-and-white Spiny Spider (Gasteracantha kuhli)
- Ornamental Tree Trunk Spider (Herennia multipuncta)
- Long-horned Orb-weaver Spider (Macracantha arcuata)
- Brown Sailor Spider (Neoscona nautica)
- Abandoned-web Orb-weaver Spider (Parawixia dehaani)
- Black Tail Spider (Arachnura melanura)
- Grass Cross Spider (Argiope catenulata)
- Garden Tent-web Spider (Cyrtophora cicatrosa)
- Tropical Tent-web Spider (Cyrtophora citricola)
Cellar Spiders
- Pale Daddy-long-legs Spider (Smeringopus pallidus)
- Tailed Cellar Spider (Crossopriza lyoni)
- Giant Daddy-long-legs Spider (Artema atlanta)
Jumping Spiders
- Banded Phintella Spider (Phintella vittata)
- Pantropical Jumping Spider (Plexippus paykulli)
- Jade Jumping Spider (Siler semiglaucus)
- Two-striped Jumping Spider (Telamonia dimidiata)
- Fighting Spider (Thiania bhamoensis)
- White-bearded Jumping Spider (Menemerus brachygnathus)
- Red Weaver-ant Mimicking Jumping Spider (Myrmaplata plataleoides)
- Small Zebra Jumping Spider (Plexippus petersi)
- Wasp-mimic Jumping Spider (Rhene flavicomans)
- Adanson’s House Jumping Spider (Hasarius adansoni)
- Heavy-bodied Jumping Spider (Hyllus semicupreus)
Huntsman Spiders
Long-jawed Spiders
- Decorative Silver Orb Spider (Leucauge decorata)
- Pear-shaped Leucauge Spider (Opadometa fastigata)
- Black-striped Orchard Spider (Leucauge celebesiana)
Lynx Spiders
- White Lynx Spider (Oxyopes shweta)
Hackled Orb-weavers
Velvet Spiders
- Indian Cooperative Spider (Stegodyphus sarasinorum)
Ground Spiders
- Mouse Spider (Scotophaeus blackwalli)
Spitting Spiders
- Brown Spitting Spider (Scytodes fusca)
Comb-footed Spiders
- Split-faced Silver Spider (Argyrodes fissifrons)
Crab Spiders
- White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis)