Goliath Bird Eating Spider vs Emperor Scorpion

[Vodmeister]

Goliath's actually don't grow 12 inches. The largest tarantula had a leg span of 10.5 inches. The biggest emperor scorpion is closer to 9 inches, so these animals are relatively close in size, though the tarantula is more massive; still, the better armed scorpion would win.

In this bug fight a 110 mm scorpion defeats a 180 mm tarantula, a specimen significantly larger than himself;
www.gladiatorbugs.com/enter-the-arena/15-tarantula-vs-scorpion.html

[Vodmeister]

A modest size comparison between the biggest of both species;



The tarantula is bigger and stronger, but the size disparity isn't that big. The scorpion is better armed, has superior weaponry, and is the more skilled fighter.

[mechafire]

I do belive that tarantula has the edge in an ambush attack. Where it can force the scorpion into a vulnerable position, but had on head spiders just don't match the Armor and range of the scorpion.

[Creeper]

Now I have to go and bump all the invertebrate threads on the forum lol

I cant find a single video of a Theraphosid fighting a P. imperator, probably because they are a very expensive genera. Using other genera of New World tarantula has its potential flaws though, as they are all physiologically different. For some genera a fall from 30cm is potentially fatal while other species can leap from tree tops no worse for the wear, some have urticating hairs that will cause a slight itch while others (like Theraphosids) can be highly irritating and painful, some species have very potent venom (like Theraphosids) while some have venom as mild as a bee sting, some species are quite docile and others (again like Theraphosids) are aggressive/defensive, and some are very cheap at pet stores and can be bought to place in a battle with a P. imperator (also fairly cheap species) for Youtube videos and not burn a hole in their wallet.
The size differences here are pretty extreme, on average a T. blondi is going to have a legspan of about 255mm and a body length of roughly 100mm while the P. imperator is about 200mm on average, seems pretty balanced right? Then you factor in mass, the scorpion averages about 28g, while a male T. blondi will weigh about 65g about 3x as massive as the scorpion, a female will commonly exceed 125g more than 4x as massive.
No doubt a scorpions sting on the cephalothorax or abdomen can kill a bird eater, but the spider is larger, stronger, and faster with 6mm fangs and could potentially overwhelm the scorpion. P. imperator has very powerful claws that could crush the limbs of the much softer tarantula if it gets a chance to use them. So as you see this match isn't as one sided as some of you might believe and I tend to favor the Theraphosid at average size 7/10 and the P. imperator 8/10 at parity.

[An Goldish Jade]

I have heard that "Camel Spiders" have defeated similar sized scorpions by using its Chelicerae to destroy the scorpions sting, and i think Bird Eating Spider could do the same with they colossal fangs.
so while scorpions are well equipped to fight spiders at similar size, I still think an spider could win, by grab the sting of the scorpion with its leg and destroy it with fangs, that is been said, the more likely case would be the spider being griped on the palps, and then envenomed from a distance, think at similar size, the Emperor will win by 62-66%.

[Deleted]

It looks like the Scorpion wins. It has stronger skin and a stinger.

[dinosauria101]

I favor the scorpion. Face to face, the spider is a poor combatant, and the scorpion has the better weaponry.