Thelcticopis orichalcea
Golden Heavy Huntsman
Individuals of both sexes appear similar and distinctive. Both have a massive body clothed with yellow, fur-like hair. In some individuals, the carapace or abdomen (or both) may appear black because the yellow hairs are easily rubbed off. The legs and chelicerae are black and robust, with a dense lining of long and thick reddish hairs along the inner edges of the chelicerae.
| Length | ♀ 26–30 mm; ♂ 23–25 mm. |
| Habitat | Low foliage in secondary and freshwater swamp forests, sometimes on garden grounds. |
| Biology | In captivity, it readily builds a retreat by stitching adjoining leaves with silk. The spider can be aggressive. When disturbed, it habitually raises the cephalothorax and the first three pairs of legs (similar to the threat posture adopted by some tarantulas), and spreads the chelicerae outwards getting set to bite. Its bites can cause local swelling and acute pain, and in one of two reported cases, neck and joint ache lasting for two days. |
| Type Locality | Borneo. |
| Distribution | Brunei, Indonesia (Sumatra), Malaysia (Sabah, Sarawak, Perak, Selangor), Singapore. |