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Species in the Family Nephilidae in South Africa
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Only three species can be called “golden orb web spiders”, Nephilengys and Clitaetra produce white silk so a better name is Nephila as it is shorter! In all cases males are very much smaller than the females and have duller colouring.  Distribution is not absolute.   Colouring and patterns can vary between populations and even individuals and colouring, colour patterns and even the shape of juvenile and subadult spiders differ considerably from those of adults.
...read the whole article in this pdf on Nephilidae here

RAIN SPIDERS, Palystes spp. in the family Sparassidae
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These are amongst our largest spiders, rivaling baboon spiders (African tarantulas) in legspan but not related to them at all.  They are harmless to people and their domesticated animals.
...read the whole article on Rain Spiders in this pdf

Some general facts by Atri Leroy
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Astri gives a short summary of facts on Spiders...
...read the whole article on general facts

Are spiders dangerous? by Eugene de Kock
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Spiders belong to the class of mainly terrestrial Arthropods known as Arachnida. Medically significant classes of arachnids include spiders, ticks & mites and scorpions. Unfortunately through myths, legends and nowadays media, spiders have gained a reputation for being dangerous and harmful...
...read the whole article on dangerous spiders