Brown huntsman spider (Heteropoda jugulans). This spider is very common in eastern Australia. It grows to a body length of around 2 cms with a leg span about the size of a human hand. It is a free ranging species, not a web builder that inhabits woodlands, rainforests and human habitations. The bite is not very toxic, but does produce mild local pain. It preys on insects, smaller spiders and small vertebates such as geckos. The spider in this picture is hunting at night, utilizing its camouflage on the bark of a eucalypt tree. Mareeba, Queensland, tropical northern Australia.