 "L. tarantula" is a large species found in southern Europe, especially in the Apulia region of Italy and near the city of Taranto, from which it gets its name.Historical superstition has it that the spider's bite can produce severe symptoms called tarantism.These spiders are rather large, the females being as large as 30 mm (1.18 in) in body length and the males around 19 mm (0.75 in).