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Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
s of the
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Theraphosidae. , 1,100
species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
have been identified, with 166
genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although many other members of the same infraorder (
Mygalomorphae The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3,000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to t ...
) are commonly referred to as "tarantulas" or "false tarantulas". Some of the more common species have become popular in the
exotic pet An exotic pet is a pet which is relatively rare or unusual to keep, or is generally thought of as a Wild animal, wild species rather than as a Domesticated animal, domesticated pet. The definition varies by culture, location, and over time—as an ...
trade. Many
New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
species kept as pets have
seta In biology, setae (; seta ; ) are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Depending partly on their form and function, protostome setae may be called macrotrichia, chaetae, ...
e known as
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s that can cause irritation to the skin, and in extreme cases, cause damage to the eyes.


Overview

Like all
arthropod Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...
s, the tarantula is an
invertebrate Invertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''spine'' or ''backbone''), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordata, chordate s ...
that relies on an
exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. human skeleton, that ...
for muscular support.Pomeroy, R. (2014, February 4). Pub. Real Clear Science, "Spiders, and Their Amazing Hydraulic Legs and Genitalia". Retrieved October 13, 2019, from https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2013/02/spiders-their-amazing-hydraulic-legs-and-genitals.html. Like other
Arachnid Arachnids are arthropods in the Class (biology), class Arachnida () of the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, opiliones, harvestmen, Solifugae, camel spiders, Amblypygi, wh ...
a, a tarantula's body comprises two main parts, the
prosoma The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...
(or cephalothorax) and the
opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma ( cephalothorax). It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs and others). Although it is similar in most respects ...
(or abdomen). The prosoma and opisthosoma are connected by the pedicel, or pregenital somite. This waist-like connecting piece is actually part of the prosoma and gives the opisthosoma a wide range of motion relative to the prosoma. Depending on the species, the body length of tarantulas ranges from about Jovan, Dennis, Kj, & Kenneth. (2019, May 1). Theraphosa blondi. Retrieved October 13, 2019, from https://www.theraphosidae.be/en/theraphosa-blondi/ . with leg spans of . Leg span is determined by measuring from the tip of the back leg to the tip of the front leg on the opposite side. Some of the largest species of tarantula may weigh over ; the largest of all, the
goliath birdeater The Goliath birdeater (''Theraphosa blondi'') belongs to the tarantula Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" ...
(''Theraphosa blondi'') from
Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
and
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
, has been reported to attain a weight of and a leg-span up to , males being longer and females greater in girth. The fang size of this tarantula reaches a maximum of . ''
Theraphosa apophysis ''Theraphosa apophysis'' is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. Description ''Theraphosa apophysis'' generally resembles '' Theraphosa blondi'', and reaches a similar size. Young ''T. a ...
'' (the pinkfoot goliath) was described 187 years after the goliath birdeater, so its characteristics are not as well attested. '' T. blondi'' is generally thought to be the heaviest tarantula, and '' T. apophysis'' has the greatest leg span. Two other species, ''
Lasiodora parahybana ''Lasiodora parahybana'', the Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula, also simply known as the salmon pink or LP, is a tarantula from north-eastern Brazil and considered to be the fourth largest tarantula in the world (behind the three spec ...
'' (the Brazilian salmon birdeater) and ''
Lasiodora klugi The ''Lasiodora klugi'' (also known as the Bahia scarlet) is a tarantula endemic to Brazil. Its common name refers to the state of Bahia Bahia () is one of the 26 Federative units of Brazil, states of Brazil, located in the Northeast Region, ...
'', rival the size of the two goliath spiders. Most species of
North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere, Northern and Western Hemisphere, Western hemispheres. North America is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South Ameri ...
n tarantulas are brown. Elsewhere, species have been found that variously display cobalt blue ('' Cyriopagopus lividus''), black with white stripes (''
Aphonopelma seemanni ''Aphonopelma seemanni'', the Costa Rican zebra tarantula, also known as the striped-knee tarantula, is a species of tarantula inhabiting most of western Costa Rica and other parts of Central America, such as Honduras and Nicaragua, and possibly ...
''), yellow leg markings ('' Eupalaestrus campestratus''), metallic blue legs with vibrant orange abdomen and green prosoma ('' Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens''). Their natural habitats include
savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...
,
grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominance (ecology), dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes such as clover, and other Herbaceo ...
such as in the
pampa The Pampas (; from Quechuan languages, Quechua 'plain'), also known as the Pampas Plain, are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentina, Argentine Provinces of Argentina, provinces of Buenos Aires Pro ...
s,
rainforest Rainforests are forests characterized by a closed and continuous tree Canopy (biology), canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforests can be generally classified as tropi ...
,
desert A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
,
scrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally o ...
,
mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher t ...
s, and
cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, Montane forest, montane, Tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, moist forest characteri ...
. They are generally classed among the terrestrial types. They are burrowers that live in the ground. Tarantulas are becoming increasingly popular as pets and some species are readily available in captivity.


Identification

Tarantulas can be confused with other members of the order
Mygalomorphae The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3,000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to t ...
, such as trapdoor spiders, funnel-web spiders and
purseweb spider Atypidae, also known as atypical tarantulas or purseweb spiders, is a spider family containing only three genera. They are accomplished ambush predators that spend most of their time in a sock-like, silken retreat on the ground from where they kil ...
s. They can also be confused with some members of the order
Araneomorphae The Araneomorphae (also called the Labidognatha or "true spiders") are an infraorder of spiders. They are distinguishable by chelicerae (fangs) that point diagonally forward and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae (taran ...
such as the
Lycosidae Wolf spiders are members of the Family (biology), family Lycosidae (), named for their robust and agile hunting skills and excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and usually do not spin spider web, webs. Some are opportunis ...
family. There are multiple ways to identify a tarantula. First the hairs: in the
Americas The Americas, sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North America and South America.''Webster's New World College Dictionary'', 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio. When viewed as a sing ...
most tarantulas have
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s, though some, such as the ''
Hemirrhagus ''Hemirrhagus'' is a genus of Mexico, Mexican Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Simon, Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. It is considered a senior synonym of ''Spelopelma''. Species of the genus ''Hemirrhagus'' are 5 to 12 c ...
'' genus, lack these. The hairs are usually more noticeable than with most other
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
s. Another is the size, as tarantulas tend to be bigger, but this is again not a failproof way. They also do not use their webs for hunting, instead using them as building material or tripwire. One of the most decisive ways to tell is by looking at their fangs. Tarantula fangs face downwards, as opposed to those of true spiders, which face each other, allowing them to make pincerlike motions. They also own two
book lung A book lung is a type of respiration organ used for atmospheric gas-exchange that is present in many arachnids, such as scorpions and spiders. Each of these organs is located inside an open, ventral-abdominal, air-filled cavity (atrium) and co ...
s, as opposed to true spiders which only have one. Their lifespan is also longer than most spiders. Lasiodora parahybana ''Lasiodora parahybana'', the Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula, also simply known as the salmon pink or LP, is a tarantula from north-eastern Brazil and considered to be the fourth largest tarantula in the world (behind the three spec ...
'', a tarantula, from below File:Kaldari Phidippus johnsoni male defense.jpg, alt=, Fangs of '' Phidippus johnsoni'', a member of the
jumping spider Jumping spiders are a group of spiders that constitute the family (biology), family Salticidae. , this family contained over 600 species description, described genus, genera and over 6,000 described species, making it the largest family of spide ...
family Salticidae, from the front


Etymology

The spider originally bearing the name ''tarantula'' was '' Lycosa tarantula'', a species of
wolf spider Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (), named for their robust and agile hunting skills and excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and usually do not spin webs. Some are opportunistic hunters, pouncing upon ...
native to Mediterranean Europe.Fabre, Jean-Henri; Translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (1916
The Life of the spider
Dodd, Mead, New York. The name is derived from the southern
Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...
town of
Taranto Taranto (; ; previously called Tarent in English) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Taranto, serving as an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base. Founded by Spartans ...
. The term ''tarantula'' was subsequently applied to almost any large, unfamiliar species of ground-dwelling spider, in particular to the
Mygalomorphae The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3,000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to t ...
and especially the
New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
Theraphosidae Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...
. Compared to tarantulas,
wolf spider Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (), named for their robust and agile hunting skills and excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and usually do not spin webs. Some are opportunistic hunters, pouncing upon ...
s are not particularly large or hairy, and so among English speakers in particular, usage eventually shifted in favour of the Theraphosidae, even though they are not closely related to wolf spiders at all, being in a different
infraorder Order () is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between Family_(biology), family and Class_(biology), class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classific ...
. The name ''tarantula'' is also incorrectly applied to other large-bodied spiders, including the
purseweb spider Atypidae, also known as atypical tarantulas or purseweb spiders, is a spider family containing only three genera. They are accomplished ambush predators that spend most of their time in a sock-like, silken retreat on the ground from where they kil ...
s or atypical tarantulas, the funnel-webs (
Dipluridae The family Dipluridae, known as curtain-web spiders (or confusingly as funnel-web tarantulas, a name shared with other distantly related families) are a group of spiders in the infraorder Mygalomorphae, that have two pairs of booklungs, and chel ...
and
Hexathelidae Hexathelidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders. It is one of a number of families and genera of spiders known as tunnelweb or funnel-web spiders. In 2018, the family was substantially reduced in size by genera being moved to three separate fam ...
), and the dwarf tarantulas. These spiders are related to tarantulas (all being mygalomorphs) but fall into different
families Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as ...
from them. Huntsman spiders of the family Sparassidae have also been termed ''tarantulas'' because of their large size, when, in fact, they are not related. Instead, huntsman spiders belong to the infraorder
Araneomorphae The Araneomorphae (also called the Labidognatha or "true spiders") are an infraorder of spiders. They are distinguishable by chelicerae (fangs) that point diagonally forward and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae (taran ...
.


The element ''pelma'' in genus names

Many theraphosid genera have names, either accepted or
synonymous A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
, containing the element ''pelma''. This can be traced back to
Carl Ludwig Koch Carl Ludwig Koch (21 September 1778 – 23 August 1857) was a German entomologist and arachnologist. He was responsible for classifying a great number of spiders, including the Brazilian whiteknee tarantula and common house spider. He was born ...
in 1850, who in describing his new genus ''Eurypelma'' wrote, "" (). German
arachnologists Arachnology is the science, scientific study of arachnids, which comprise spiders and related invertebrates such as scorpions, Pseudoscorpionida, pseudoscorpions, Opiliones, harvestmen, Tick, ticks, and mites. Those who study spiders and other a ...
use the word to refer to the tarsus (the last article of a spider's leg). Translations of into Latin use the word . Hence in English arachnological terminology, Koch meant 'the
scopula ''Scopula'' is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae described by Franz von Paula Schrank in 1802. Species It has 705 species which are listed here alphabetically. A *'' Scopula ablativa'' (Dognin, 1911) *'' Scopula abolita'' Herbulot, ...
of the base of the tarsus very wide'. ''Eury-'' is derived from the
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
(), meaning 'wide', while () means 'the sole of the foot', paralleling Koch's use of (in modern spelling). Thus ''Eurypelma'' literally means 'wide footsole'; however, arachnologists have conventionally taken ''pelma'' in such names to refer to the scopula, so producing the meaning 'with a wide scopula'. Other genus names or synonyms that Estrada-Alvarez and Cameron regard as having 'footsole' or 'scopula' meanings include: *'' Acanthopelma'' – Greek () 'thorn, spine'; overall meaning 'spiny footsole' *'' Brachypelma'' – Greek () 'short'; overall meaning 'short scopula' *'' Metriopelma'' – Greek () 'of moderate size'; overall meaning 'medium length scopula' *'' Schizopelma'' – from the Greek origin combining form ''schizo-'' () 'split'; overall meaning 'split footsole' *''
Sericopelma ''Sericopelma'' is a genus of tarantula (family Theraphosidae), found in Central America from Nicaragua to Panama. The limits of the genus and its distribution have long been confused; it is closely related to the genus ''Aphonopelma''. ''Serico ...
'' – Greek () 'silky'; overall meaning 'silken scopula' Later, particularly following genus names published by R.I. Pocock in 1901, the element ''pelma'' appears to have become synonymous with 'theraphosid'. For example, the author of ''Cardiopelma'' writes, "" ('Cardiopelma refers to the female genitalia that evoke the shape of a heart'), with no reference to either 'footsole' or 'scopula'. Names interpreted in this way include: *''
Aphonopelma ''Aphonopelma'' is a genus of tarantulas native to the Americas. It includes nearly all the North American tarantula species north of Mexico and a considerable percentage of the tarantula species that range into Central America. Most are fairly ...
'' – Greek () 'soundless'; overall meaning 'theraphosid without sound' *'' Cardiopelma'' – Greek () 'heart'; overall meaning 'heart theraphosid' (referring to the heart-shaped female genitalia) *'' Clavopelma'' – Latin 'club'; overall meaning 'theraphosid with club-shaped hairs' *'' Delopelma'' – Greek () 'clear, obvious, visible, conspicuous, plain'; overall meaning 'theraphosid without plumose hair' *'' Gosipelma'' – the element ''gosi-'' means 'desert', relating to the Gosiute people; overall meaning 'desert theraphosid' *'' Spelopelma'' – Greek () 'cave'; overall meaning 'cave theraphosid'


Distribution

Tarantulas of various species occur throughout the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
,
Mexico Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
, in
Central America Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
, and throughout
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. Other species occur variously throughout
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
, much of
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
(including the
Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Geography of Taiwan, Taiwan: the Ryukyu Islands are divided into the Satsunan Islands (Ōsumi Islands, Ōsumi, Tokara Islands, Tokara and A ...
in southern
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
), and all of
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. In
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
, some species occur in
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
,
Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...
,
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
, southern
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, and
Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
.


Habits

Some
genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
of tarantulas hunt prey primarily in trees; others hunt on or near the ground. All tarantulas can produce
silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
; while arboreal species typically reside in a silken "tube tent", terrestrial species line their
burrow file:Chipmunk-burrow (exits).jpg, An eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of Animal lo ...
s with silk to stabilize the
burrow file:Chipmunk-burrow (exits).jpg, An eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of Animal lo ...
wall and facilitate climbing up and down. Tarantulas mainly eat large insects and other arthropods such as
centipede Centipedes (from Neo-Latin , "hundred", and Latin , "foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', "lip", and Neo-Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, ...
s,
millipede Millipedes (originating from the Latin , "thousand", and , "foot") are a group of arthropods that are characterised by having two pairs of jointed legs on most body segments; they are known scientifically as the class Diplopoda, the name derive ...
s, and other
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
s, using ambush as their primary method of prey capture. Armed with their massive, powerful
chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...
tipped with long, chitinous fangs, tarantulas are well-adapted to killing other large
arthropod Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...
s. The biggest tarantulas sometimes kill and consume small vertebrates such as
lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...
s,
mice A mouse (: mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
,
bat Bats are flying mammals of the order Chiroptera (). With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most birds, flying with their very long spread-out ...
s,
bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...
s, and small
snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...
s.


Appendages

The eight legs, the two chelicerae with their fangs, and the
pedipalp Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the secondary pair of forward appendages among Chelicerata, chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to ...
s are attached to the
prosoma The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...
. The
chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...
are two double-segmented appendages located just below the eyes and directly forward of the mouth. The chelicerae contain the
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
glands that vent through the fangs. The fangs are hollow extensions of the chelicerae that inject venom into prey or animals that the tarantula bites in defense, and they are also used to masticate. These fangs are articulated so that they can extend downward and outward in preparation to bite or can fold back toward the
chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...
as a pocket knife blade folds back into its handle. The chelicerae of a tarantula completely contain the venom glands and the muscles that surround them, and can cause the venom to be forcefully injected into prey. The pedipalpi are two six-segmented appendages connected to the prosoma near the mouth and protruding on either side of both chelicerae. In most species of tarantulas, the pedipalpi contain sharp, jagged plates used to cut and crush food often called the coxae or maxillae. As with other spiders, the terminal portions of the pedipalpi of males function as part of their reproductive system. Male spiders spin a silken platform (sperm web) on the ground onto which they release
semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is a bodily fluid that contains spermatozoon, spermatozoa which is secreted by the male gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphrodite, hermaphroditic animals. In humans and placen ...
from glands in their
opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma ( cephalothorax). It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs and others). Although it is similar in most respects ...
. Then they insert their pedipalps into the semen, absorb the semen into the pedipalps, and later insert the pedipalps (one at a time) into the reproductive organ of the female, which is located in her abdomen. The terminal segments of the pedipalps of male tarantulas are moderately larger in circumference than those of a female tarantula. Male tarantulas have special
spinnerets A spinneret is a silk-spinning organ of a spider or the larva of an insect. Some adult insects also have spinnerets, such as those borne on the forelegs of Embioptera. Spinnerets are usually on the underside of a spider's opisthosoma, and ar ...
surrounding the genital opening. Silk for the sperm web of the tarantula is exuded from these special spinnerets. A tarantula has four pairs of legs and two additional pairs of appendages. Each leg has seven segments, which from the prosoma out are: coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, tarsus and pretarsus, and claw. Two or three retractable claws at the end of each leg are used to grip surfaces for climbing. Also on the end of each leg, surrounding the claws, is a group of bristles, called the scopula, which help the tarantula to grip better when climbing surfaces such as glass. The fifth pair is the pedipalps, which aid in feeling, gripping prey, and mating in the case of a mature male. The sixth pair of appendages is the chelicerae and their attached fangs. When walking, a tarantula's first and third legs on one side move at the same time as the second and fourth legs on the other side of its body. The muscles in a tarantula's legs cause the legs to bend at the joints, but to extend a leg, the tarantula increases the pressure of
haemolymph Hemolymph, or haemolymph, is a fluid, similar to the blood in invertebrates, that circulates in the inside of the arthropod's body, remaining in direct contact with the animal's tissues. It is composed of a fluid plasma in which hemolymph ce ...
entering the leg. Tarantulas, like almost all other spiders, have their primary spinnerets at the end of the opisthosoma. Unlike most spider species in the infraorder
Araneomorphae The Araneomorphae (also called the Labidognatha or "true spiders") are an infraorder of spiders. They are distinguishable by chelicerae (fangs) that point diagonally forward and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae (taran ...
, which includes the majority of extant spider species, and most of which have six, tarantula species have two or four spinnerets. Spinnerets are flexible, tube-like structures from which the
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
exudes its silk. The tip of each spinneret is called the spinning field. Each spinning field is covered by as many as 100 spinning tubes through which silk is exuded. As the silk is pulled out of the spinnerets, the shear forces cause proteins in the silk to crystallize, transforming it from a liquid to a solid thread.


Digestive system

The tarantula's mouth is located under its
chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...
on the lower front part of its
prosoma The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...
. The mouth is a short, straw-shaped opening that can only suck, meaning that anything taken into it must be in liquid form. Prey with large amounts of solid parts, such as mice, must be crushed and ground up or predigested, which is accomplished by coating the prey with digestive juices secreted from openings in the
chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...
. The tarantula's digestive organ (stomach) is a tube that runs the length of its body. In the
prosoma The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...
, this tube is wider and forms the sucking stomach. When the sucking stomach's powerful muscles contract, the stomach is increased in cross-section, creating a strong sucking action that permits the tarantula to suck its liquefied prey up through the mouth and into the intestines. Once the liquefied food enters the intestines, it is broken down into particles small enough to pass through the intestine walls into the
hemolymph Hemolymph, or haemolymph, is a fluid, similar to the blood in invertebrates, that circulates in the inside of the arthropod's body, remaining in direct contact with the animal's tissues. It is composed of a fluid plasma in which hemolymph c ...
(blood stream), where it is distributed throughout the body. After feeding, the leftovers are formed into a small ball by the tarantula and thrown away. In a terrarium, they often put them into the same corner.


Nervous system

A tarantula's central nervous system (brain) is located in the bottom of the inner
prosoma The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...
. A tarantula perceives its surroundings primarily via sensory organs called
seta In biology, setae (; seta ; ) are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Depending partly on their form and function, protostome setae may be called macrotrichia, chaetae, ...
e (bristles or spines, sometimes referred to as hairs). Although a tarantula has eight eyes like most
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
s, touch is its keenest sense, and in hunting, it primarily depends on vibrations given off by the movements of its prey. A tarantula's setae are very sensitive organs and are used to sense chemical signatures, vibrations, wind direction, and possibly even sound. Tarantulas are also very responsive to the presence of certain chemicals such as
pheromone A pheromone () is a secreted or excreted chemical factor that triggers a social response in members of the same species. Pheromones are chemicals capable of acting like hormones outside the body of the secreting individual, to affect the behavio ...
s. The eyes are located above the chelicerae on the forward part of the prosoma. They are small and usually set in two rows of four. Most tarantulas are not able to see much more than light, darkness, and motion. Arboreal tarantulas generally have better vision compared with terrestrial tarantulas.


Respiratory system

All types of tarantulas have two sets of
book lung A book lung is a type of respiration organ used for atmospheric gas-exchange that is present in many arachnids, such as scorpions and spiders. Each of these organs is located inside an open, ventral-abdominal, air-filled cavity (atrium) and co ...
s (breathing organs); the first pair is located in a cavity inside the lower front part of the abdomen near where the abdomen connects to the
cephalothorax The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...
, and the second pair is slightly farther back on the abdomen. Air enters the cavity through a tiny slit on each side of and near the front of the abdomen. Each lung consists of 15 or more thin sheets of folded tissue arranged like the pages of a book. These sheets of tissue are supplied by blood vessels. As air enters each lung, oxygen is taken into the blood stream through the blood vessels in the lungs. Needed moisture may also be absorbed from humid air by these organs.


Circulatory system

A tarantula's blood is unique (not only in appearance); an oxygen-transporting protein is present (the copper-based
hemocyanin Hemocyanins (also spelled haemocyanins and abbreviated Hc) are proteins that transport oxygen throughout the bodies of some invertebrate animals. These metalloproteins contain two copper atoms that reversibly bind a single oxygen molecule (O2 ...
), but not enclosed in blood cells such as the erythrocytes of mammals. A tarantula's blood is not true blood, but rather a liquid called
hemolymph Hemolymph, or haemolymph, is a fluid, similar to the blood in invertebrates, that circulates in the inside of the arthropod's body, remaining in direct contact with the animal's tissues. It is composed of a fluid plasma in which hemolymph c ...
(or haemolymph). At least four types of
hemocytes A blood cell (also called a hematopoietic cell, hemocyte, or hematocyte) is a cell produced through hematopoiesis and found mainly in the blood. Major types of blood cells include red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), ...
, or hemolymph cells, are known. The tarantula's heart is a long, slender tube located along the top of the
opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma ( cephalothorax). It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs and others). Although it is similar in most respects ...
. The heart is neurogenic as opposed to myogenic, so nerve cells instead of muscle cells initiate and coordinate the heart. It pumps hemolymph to all parts of the body through open passages often referred to as sinuses, and not through a circular system of blood vessels. If the
exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. human skeleton, that ...
is breached, loss of hemolymph will kill the spider unless the wound is small enough that the hemolymph can dry and close it.


Predators

Despite their large size and fearsome appearance and reputation, tarantulas themselves are prey for many other animals. The most specialized of these predators are large members of the wasp family Pompilidae such as the wasp '' Hemipepsis ustulata''. These wasps are called " tarantula hawks". The largest tarantula hawks, such as those in the genus '' Pepsis'', track, attack, and kill large tarantulas. They use
olfaction The sense of smell, or olfaction, is the special sense through which smells (or odors) are perceived. The sense of smell has many functions, including detecting desirable foods, hazards, and pheromones, and plays a role in taste. In humans, ...
to find the lair of a tarantula. The wasp must deliver a sting to the underside of the spider's cephalothorax, exploiting the thin membrane between the basal leg segments. This paralyzes the spider, and the wasp then drags it back into its burrow before depositing an egg on the prey's abdomen. The wasp then seals the spider in its burrow and flies off to search for more hosts. The wasp egg hatches into a larva and feeds on the spider's inessential parts, and as it approaches pupation, it consumes the remainder. Other arthropods, such as large scorpions and giant centipedes, are also known to prey on tarantulas. Tarantulas are also preyed upon by a wide variety of vertebrates. Many of these, including lizards, frogs, birds, snakes and mammals, are generalist predators of all kinds of large arthropods. Mammals that have been known to prey on tarantulas, such as the
coati Coatis (from Tupí), also known as coatimundis (), are members of the family Procyonidae in the genera '' Nasua'' and '' Nasuella'' (comprising the subtribe Nasuina). They are diurnal mammals native to South America, Central America, Mexico, ...
, kinkajou, and
opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 126 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North A ...
in the
New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
, and
mongoose A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family has two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to southern Europe, A ...
s and the
honey badger The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed across Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. It is the only living species in both the genus ''Mellivora'' and the subfami ...
in the
Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...
, are often immune to the venom of their arthropod prey. Humans also consume tarantulas for food in their native ranges. They are considered a delicacy in certain cultures (e.g. Venezuela and Cambodia). They can be roasted over an open fire to remove the bristles (described further below) and then eaten. Tarantulas have evolved specialized bristles, or
setae In biology, setae (; seta ; ) are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Depending partly on their form and function, protostome setae may be called macrotrichia, chaetae ...
, to defend themselves against predators. Besides the normal bristles covering the body, some tarantulas also have a dense covering of irritating bristles called
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s, on the
opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma ( cephalothorax). It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs and others). Although it is similar in most respects ...
, that they sometimes use as protection against enemies. These bristles are present on most New World species, but not on any specimens from the Old World. Urticating hairs are usually kicked off the abdomen by the tarantula, but some may simply rub the abdomen against the target, like the genus ''
Avicularia ''Avicularia'' is a genus of the Family (biology), family Theraphosidae containing various species of arboreal tarantulas. The genus is native to Panama, the Caribbean, and tropical South America. Each species in the genus has very distinguishab ...
''. These fine bristles are barbed and serve to irritate. They can be lethal to small animals such as rodents. Some people are sensitive to these bristles, and develop serious itching and rashes at the site. Exposure of the eyes and respiratory system to urticating hairs should be strictly avoided. Species with urticating hairs can kick these bristles off; they are flicked into the air at a target using their back pairs of legs. Tarantulas also use these bristles for other purposes, such as to mark territory or to line their shelters (the latter such practice may discourage
flies Flies are insects of the Order (biology), order Diptera, the name being derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek δι- ''di-'' "two", and πτερόν ''pteron'' "wing". Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwin ...
from feeding on the spiderlings). Urticating hairs do not grow back, but are replaced with each
molt In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is a process by which an animal casts off parts of its body to serve some beneficial purpose, either at ...
. The intensity, number, and flotation of the bristles depends on the species of tarantula. To predators and other enemies, these bristles can range from being lethal to simply being a deterrent. With humans, they can cause irritation to eyes, nose, and skin, and more dangerously, the lungs and airways, if inhaled. The symptoms range from species to species, from person to person, from a burning itch to a minor rash. In some cases, tarantula bristles have caused permanent damage to human eyes. Some setae are used to stridulate, which makes a hissing sound. These bristles are usually found on the chelicerae. Stridulation seems to be more common in Old World species.


Bites and urticating bristles

All tarantulas are venomous. Although their
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
is not deadly to humans, some bites cause serious discomfort that might persist for several days. In general, the effects of the bites of all kinds of tarantula are not well known. While the bites of many species are known to be no worse than a wasp sting, accounts of bites by some species are reported to be very painful and to produce intense spasms that may recur over a period of several days; the
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
of the African tarantula '' Pelinobius muticus'' also causes strong hallucinations. For '' Poecilotheria'' species, researchers have described more than 20 bites with the delayed onset of severe and diffuse muscle cramps, lasting for several days, that in most cases resolved completely with the use of
benzodiazepines Benzodiazepines (BZD, BDZ, BZs), colloquially known as "benzos", are a class of central nervous system (CNS) depressant drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring. They are prescribed to treat co ...
and
magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 ...
. In all cases, seeking medical aid is advised. Because other proteins are included when a
toxin A toxin is a naturally occurring poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. They occur especially as proteins, often conjugated. The term was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849–1919), derived ...
is injected, some individuals may suffer severe symptoms due to an
allergic reaction Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, are various conditions caused by hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include Allergic rhinitis, hay fever, Food allergy, food al ...
rather than to the venom. Such allergic effects can be life-threatening. Additionally, the large fangs of a tarantula can inflict painful
puncture wound Penetrating trauma is an open wound injury that occurs when an object pierces the skin and enters a tissue of the body, creating a deep but relatively narrow entry wound. In contrast, a blunt or ''non-penetrating'' trauma may have some deep da ...
s, which can lead to secondary
bacterial infection Pathogenic bacteria are bacteria that can cause disease. This article focuses on the bacteria that are pathogenic to humans. Most species of bacteria are harmless and many are beneficial but others can cause infectious diseases. The number of t ...
s if not properly treated. Before biting, a tarantula may signal its intention to attack by rearing up into a "threat posture", which may involve raising its prosoma and lifting its front legs into the air, spreading and extending its fangs, and (in certain species) making a loud hissing by stridulating. Tarantulas often hold this position for longer than the duration of the original threat. Their next step, without biting, may be to slap down on the intruder with their raised front legs. If that response fails to deter the attacker, the tarantulas of the Americas may next turn away and flick
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s toward the pursuing predator. The next response may be to leave the scene entirely, but especially if no line of retreat is available, their final response may also be to whirl suddenly and bite. Some tarantulas are well known to give "dry bites", i.e., they may defensively bite some animal that intrudes on their space and threatens them, but they do not pump
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
into the wound. New-world tarantulas—those indigenous to the Americas—have bites that generally pose little threat to humans (other than causing localized pain). Most of them are equipped with
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s on their abdomens, and almost always throw these barbed bristles as the first line of defense. These bristles irritate sensitive areas of the body and especially seem to target curious animals that may sniff these bristles into the mucous membranes of the nose. Some species have more effective urticating bristles than others. The
goliath birdeater The Goliath birdeater (''Theraphosa blondi'') belongs to the tarantula Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" ...
is known for its particularly irritating urticating bristles. They can penetrate the
cornea The cornea is the transparency (optics), transparent front part of the eyeball which covers the Iris (anatomy), iris, pupil, and Anterior chamber of eyeball, anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and Lens (anatomy), lens, the cornea ...
, so eye protection should be worn when handling such tarantulas.
Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...
tarantulas have no urticating bristles and are more likely to attack when disturbed. They often have more potent, medically significant
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
, and are faster and much more nervous and defensive than
New World The term "New World" is used to describe the majority of lands of Earth's Western Hemisphere, particularly the Americas, and sometimes Oceania."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: ...
species. Some dangerous spider species are related to tarantulas and are frequently confused with them. A popular
urban legend Urban legend (sometimes modern legend, urban myth, or simply legend) is a genre of folklore concerning stories about an unusual (usually scary) or humorous event that many people believe to be true but largely are not. These legends can be e ...
maintains that deadly varieties of tarantula exist somewhere in
South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...
. This claim is often made without identifying a particular spider, although the "banana tarantula" is sometimes named. A likely candidate for the true identity of this spider is the dangerous Brazilian wandering spider ('' Phoneutria fera'') of the family
Ctenidae Wandering spiders (''Ctenidae'') are a family of spiders that includes the Brazilian wandering spiders. These spiders have a distinctive longitudinal groove on the top-rear of their oval carapace similar to those of the Amaurobiidae. They are h ...
, as it is sometimes found hiding in clusters of bananas and is one of several spiders called "banana spiders". It is not technically a tarantula, but it is fairly large (4- to 5-inch legspan), somewhat ″hairy″, and is highly
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
ous to humans. Another dangerous type of
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
s that have been confused with tarantulas are the Australian funnel-web spiders. The best known species of these is the
Sydney funnel-web spider The Sydney funnel-web spider (''Atrax robustus'') is a species of venomous Mygalomorphae, mygalomorph spider native to eastern Australia, usually found within a radius of Sydney. It is a member of a group of spiders known as Australian funnel- ...
('' Atrax robustus'') a
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
that is aggressive, highly
venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
ous, and (prior to the development of
antivenom Antivenom, also known as antivenin, venom antiserum, and antivenom immunoglobulin, is a specific treatment for envenomation. It is composed of antibodies and used to treat certain venomous bites and stings. Antivenoms are recommended only if ...
in the 1980s) was responsible for numerous deaths in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. These
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
s are members of the same infraorder as tarantulas,
Mygalomorphae The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3,000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to t ...
. Some Australians use the slang term "triantelope" (a corruption of the incorrect term tarantula, which is also used) for large, ″hairy″, and harmless members of the huntsman spider family, which are often found on interior household walls and in automobiles.


Sexual dimorphism

Some tarantula species exhibit pronounced
sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different Morphology (biology), morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecy, di ...
. Males tend to be smaller (especially their abdomens, which can appear quite narrow) and may be dull in color when compared to their female counterparts, as in the species '' Haplopelma lividum''. Mature male tarantulas also may have tibial hooks on their front legs, which are used to restrain the female's fangs during copulation. Males typically have longer legs than the females. A juvenile male's sex can be determined by looking at a cast
exuvia In biology, exuviae are the remains of an exoskeleton and related structures that are left after ecdysozoans (including insects, crustaceans and arachnids) have molted. The exuviae of an animal can be important to biologists as they can often b ...
for epiandrous fusillae or spermathecae. Females possess
spermatheca The spermatheca (pronounced : spermathecae ), also called ''receptaculum seminis'' (: ''receptacula seminis''), is an organ of the female reproductive tract in insects, e.g. ants, bees, some molluscs, Oligochaeta worms and certain other in ...
e, except for the species '' Sickius longibulbi'' and '' Encyocratella olivacea''. Males have much shorter lifespans than females because they die relatively soon after maturing. Few live long enough for a postultimate
molt In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is a process by which an animal casts off parts of its body to serve some beneficial purpose, either at ...
, which is unlikely in natural habitats because they are vulnerable to predation, but has happened in captivity, though rarely. Most males do not live through this
molt In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is a process by which an animal casts off parts of its body to serve some beneficial purpose, either at ...
, as they tend to get their emboli, mature male sexual organs on
pedipalp Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the secondary pair of forward appendages among Chelicerata, chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to ...
s, stuck in the
molt In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is a process by which an animal casts off parts of its body to serve some beneficial purpose, either at ...
. Most tarantula fanciers regard females as more desirable as pets due to their much longer lifespans. Wild-caught tarantulas are often mature males because they wander out in the open and are more likely to be caught.


Life cycle

Like other spiders, tarantulas have to shed their
exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. human skeleton, that ...
periodically as they grow, a process called molting. A young tarantula may do this several times a year as a part of the maturation process, while full-grown specimens only molt once a year or less, or sooner, to replace lost limbs or lost
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s. It is visibly apparent that molting is imminent when the
exoskeleton An exoskeleton () . is a skeleton that is on the exterior of an animal in the form of hardened integument, which both supports the body's shape and protects the internal organs, in contrast to an internal endoskeleton (e.g. human skeleton, that ...
takes on a darker shade. If a tarantula previously used its urticating hairs, the bald patch turns from a peach color to deep blue. The tarantula also stops feeding and becomes more lethargic during this time. While most Tarantulas species take between two and five years to reach sexual maturity, some species can take up to 10 years. Upon reaching adulthood, males typically have an 18-month period left to live so immediately go in search of a female mate. Although females continue to molt after reaching maturity, males rarely do again once they reach adulthood. Those that do often can become stuck during the molting process due to their sexual organs and die. Females can live for 30 to 40 years. ''
Grammostola rosea The Chilean rose tarantula (''Grammostola rosea''), also known as the rose hair tarantula, the Chilean fire tarantula, or the Chilean red-haired tarantula (depending on the color morph), is probably the most common species of tarantula available ...
'' spiders, which eat once or twice a week, have lived up to 20 years in captivity. Some have survived on water alone for up to two years.


Reproduction

After reaching sexual maturity, a female tarantula normally mates and lays eggs once per year, although they do not always do so. As with other spiders, the mechanics of intercourse are quite different from those of
mammal A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the Class (biology), class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three ...
s. Once a male spider reaches maturity and becomes motivated to mate, he weaves a web mat on a flat surface. The spider then rubs his abdomen on the surface of this mat, and in so doing, releases a quantity of semen. He may then insert his
pedipalp Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the secondary pair of forward appendages among Chelicerata, chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to ...
s (short, leg-like appendages between the
chelicerae The chelicerae () are the arthropod mouthparts, mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated ...
and front legs) into the pool of semen. The pedipalps absorb the semen and keep it viable until a mate can be found. When a male spider detects the presence of a female, the two exchange signals to establish that they are of the same species. These signals may also lull the female into a receptive state. If the female is receptive, then the male approaches her and inserts his pedipalps into an opening in the lower surface of her abdomen, the
opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma ( cephalothorax). It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs and others). Although it is similar in most respects ...
. After the semen has been transferred to the receptive female's body, the male swiftly leaves the scene before the female recovers her appetite. Although females may show some aggression after mating, the male rarely becomes a meal. Females deposit 50 to 2,000 eggs, depending on the species, in a silken egg sac and guard it for six to eight weeks. During this time, the females stay very close to the egg sacs and become more aggressive. Within most species, the females turn the egg sac often, which is called brooding. This keeps the eggs from deforming due to sitting in one position too long. The young spiderlings remain in the nest for some time after hatching, where they live off the remains of their yolk sacs before dispersing.


Taxonomy

Linnaeus Carl Linnaeus (23 May 1707 – 10 January 1778), also known after ennoblement in 1761 as Carl von Linné,#Blunt, Blunt (2004), p. 171. was a Swedish biologist and physician who formalised binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming o ...
placed all spiders in a single genus, ''Aranea''. In 1802,
Charles Athanase Walckenaer Baron Charles Athanase Walckenaer (25 December 1771 – 28 April 1852) was a French civil servant, writer, man of letters, and scientist. He was a polymath and wrote extensively on geography, natural history, and literature. Major contributio ...
separated mygalomorph spiders into a separate genus, ''Mygale'', leaving all other
spider Spiders (order (biology), order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude spider silk, silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and ran ...
s in '' Aranea''. However, ''Mygale'' had already been used in 1800 by
Georges Cuvier Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric, baron Cuvier (23 August 1769 – 13 May 1832), known as Georges Cuvier (; ), was a French natural history, naturalist and zoology, zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuv ...
for a genus of mammals (in
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
, ''mygale'' means "
shrew Shrews ( family Soricidae) are small mole-like mammals classified in the order Eulipotyphla. True shrews are not to be confused with treeshrews, otter shrews, elephant shrews, West Indies shrews, or marsupial shrews, which belong to dif ...
"). Accordingly, in 1869,
Tamerlan Thorell Tord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell (3 May 1830 – 22 December 1901) was a Sweden, Swedish arachnologist. Thorell studied spiders with Giacomo Doria at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale de Genoa. He corresponded with other arachnologists, such as Oc ...
used the family name "Theraphosoidae" (modern Theraphosidae) for the mygalomorph spiders known to him, rather than "Mygalidae" (as used, for example, by
John Blackwall John Blackwall (20 January 1790 – 11 May 1881) was an English naturalist with a particular interest in spiders. Life Blackwall was born in Manchester on 20 January 1790. He lived at Hendre House near Llanrwst in north Wales from 1833 until ...
). Thorell later split the family into a number of genera, including ''Theraphosa''.


Subfamilies

A 2019 phylogenomic study recognized 12 subfamilies, one (Ischnocolinae) known not to be
monophyletic In biological cladistics for the classification of organisms, monophyly is the condition of a taxonomic grouping being a clade – that is, a grouping of organisms which meets these criteria: # the grouping contains its own most recent co ...
. * Aviculariinae * Eumenophorinae * Harpactirinae * Ischnocolinae * Ornithoctoninae * Poecilotheriinae * Psalmopoeinae * Schismatothelinae * Selenocosmiinae * Stromatopelminae * Theraphosinae * Thrigmopoeinae The relationship between the subfamilies found in the study is shown in the following
cladogram A cladogram (from Greek language, Greek ''clados'' "branch" and ''gramma'' "character") is a diagram used in cladistics to show relations among organisms. A cladogram is not, however, an Phylogenetic tree, evolutionary tree because it does not s ...
. The dual placing of Ischnocolinae is highlighted. All the species that possess
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s and have been seen to use them in bombardment behavior are placed in the "bombardier clade", although not all species in the included subfamilies possess such hairs (all '' Schismatothelinae'' lack them as do most '' Psalmopoeinae'' genera). It is not clear whether the possession of
urticating hair Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genu ...
s was an ancestral trait of the clade, and has been lost in some species, or whether it represents multiple gains. Foley ''et al.'' suggested that the second hypothesis appeared to be better supported. Other subfamilies that have been recognized include: * Acanthopelminae – may be treated as synonymous with Ischnocolinae * Selenogyrinae * Spelopelminae – typically not accepted, ''Hemirrhagus'' being treated as Theraphosinae


Genera

, the
World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...
accepted the following genera: *'' Abdomegaphobema'' Sherwood, Gabriel, Peñaherrera-R., Léon-E., Cisneros-Heredia, Brescovit & Lucas, 2023 *'' Acanthopelma'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Guyana *'' Acanthoscurria'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America, Guatemala *'' Acentropelma'' Pocock, 1901 – Belize, Mexico, Guatemala *'' Aenigmarachne'' Schmidt, 2005 – Costa Rica *'' Agnostopelma'' Pérez-Miles & Weinmann, 2010 – Colombia *''
Aguapanela Aguapanela, ''Water, agua de panela'' or ''agüepanela'' is a drink commonly found throughout South America and a few parts of Central America and Caribbean. Its literal translation means "panela water" as it is an infusion made from panela whic ...
'' Perafán & Cifuentes, 2015 *'' Amazonius'' Cifuentes & Bertani, 2022 - South America *'' Annandaliella'' Hirst, 1909 – India *'' Anoploscelus'' Pocock, 1897 – Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda *'' Anqasha'' Sherwood & Gabriel, 2022 - Peru *'' Antikuna'' Kaderka, Ferretti, West, Lüddecke & Hüsser, 2021 - Peru *'' Antillena'' Bertani, Huff & Fukushima, 2017 – Dominican Republic *''
Aphonopelma ''Aphonopelma'' is a genus of tarantulas native to the Americas. It includes nearly all the North American tarantula species north of Mexico and a considerable percentage of the tarantula species that range into Central America. Most are fairly ...
'' Pocock, 1901 – North America, Central America *'' Augacephalus'' Gallon, 2002 – South Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini *''
Avicularia ''Avicularia'' is a genus of the Family (biology), family Theraphosidae containing various species of arboreal tarantulas. The genus is native to Panama, the Caribbean, and tropical South America. Each species in the genus has very distinguishab ...
'' Lamarck, 1818 – South America, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama *'' Bacillochilus'' Gallon, 2010 – Angola *'' Batesiella'' Pocock, 1903 – Cameroon *'' Bermejoa'' Gabriel, Sherwood & Pérez-Miles, 2023 *'' Birupes'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 2019 – Malaysia *'' Bistriopelma'' Kaderka, 2015 – Peru *''
Bonnetina ''Bonnetina'' is a genus of Mexican tarantulas that was first described by F. Vol in 2000. Morphology Before the era of genetics and molecular phylogeny, tarantulas were classified based on the presence or absence of physical traits and chara ...
'' Vol, 2000 – Mexico *''
Brachionopus ''Brachionopus'' is a genus of South African tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. It was transferred to the Theraphosidae from the Barychelidae in 1985. Species it contains 4 species, found in South Africa: *' ...
'' Pocock, 1897 – South Africa *'' Brachypelma'' Simon, 1891 – Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala *'' Bumba'' Pérez-Miles, Bonaldo & Miglio, 2014 – Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador *'' Cardiopelma'' Vol, 1999 – Unknown *'' Caribena'' Fukushima & Bertani, 2017 – Cuba *'' Catanduba'' Yamamoto, Lucas & Brescovit, 2012 – Brazil *'' Catumiri'' Guadanucci, 2004 – South America *'' Ceratogyrus'' Pocock, 1897 – Africa *'' Chaetopelma'' Ausserer, 1871 – Asia, Greece, Africa *'' Chilobrachys'' Karsch, 1892 – Asia *'' Chinchaysuyu'' Ferretti, Chaparro, Ochoa & West, 2023 *'' Chromatopelma'' Schmidt, 1995 – Venezuela *'' Cilantica'' Mirza, 2024 - India *'' Citharacanthus'' Pocock, 1901 – Cuba, Central America, Mexico *'' Citharognathus'' Pocock, 1895 – Indonesia *'' Clavopelma'' Chamberlin, 1940 – Mexico *'' Coremiocnemis'' Simon, 1892 – Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia *'' Cotztetlana'' Mendoza, 2012 – Mexico *'' Crassicrus'' Reichling & West, 1996 – Mexico, Belize *'' Cubanana'' Ortiz, 2008 – Cuba *''
Cyclosternum ''Cyclosternum'' is a genus of Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. Species it contains twelve species, found in South America, Costa Rica, and Mexico: *''Cyclosternum darienense'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 20 ...
'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America, Mexico, Costa Rica *'' Cymbiapophysa'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 *'' Cyriocosmus'' Simon, 1903 – South America, Trinidad and Tobago *'' Cyriopagopus'' Simon, 1887 – Asia *'' Cyrtogrammomma'' Pocock, 1895 - Guyana and Brazil *''
Cyrtopholis ''Cyrtopholis'' is a genus of Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Simon, Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. Diagnosis This genus can be distinguished by being found in the Caribbean, and by the presence of claviform stridula ...
'' Simon, 1892 – Caribbean *'' Davus'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1892 – Central America, Mexico *'' Dolichothele'' Mello-Leitão, 1923 – Brazil, Bolivia *'' Dugesiella'' Pocock, 1901 - Mexico *'' Encyocratella'' Strand, 1907 – Tanzania *'' Encyocrates'' Simon, 1892 – Madagascar *'' Ephebopus'' Simon, 1892 – Suriname, Brazil *''
Euathlus ''Euathlus'' is a genus of South American Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875. These spiders are medium sized and are usually found in high elevations in the Andes. It is a senior synonym of ''Paraphysa'', ...
'' Ausserer, 1875 – Chile, Argentina *'' Eucratoscelus'' Pocock, 1898 – Kenya, Tanzania *'' Eumenophorus'' Pocock, 1897 – Sierra Leone *'' Eupalaestrus'' Pocock, 1901 – South America *'' Euphrictus'' Hirst, 1908 – Cameroon, Congo *'' Euthycaelus'' Simon, 1889 – Colombia, Venezuela *'' Grammostola'' Simon, 1892 – South America *'' Guyruita'' Guadanucci, Lucas, Indicatti & Yamamoto, 2007 – Brazil, Venezuela *''
Hapalopus ''Hapalopus'' is a genus of Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875. Diagnosis They own a ring like keel on the palpal bulb, the tibial Apophysis (spider), apophysis with convergent branches and a spermathec ...
'' Ausserer, 1875 – South America, Panama *'' Hapalotremus'' Simon, 1903 – Bolivia, Peru, Argentina *'' Haploclastus'' Simon, 1892 – India *'' Haplocosmia'' Schmidt & von Wirth, 1996 – Nepal *'' Harpactira'' Ausserer, 1871 – South Africa, Namibia *'' Harpactirella'' Purcell, 1902 – South Africa, Morocco *''
Hemirrhagus ''Hemirrhagus'' is a genus of Mexico, Mexican Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Simon, Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. It is considered a senior synonym of ''Spelopelma''. Species of the genus ''Hemirrhagus'' are 5 to 12 c ...
'' Simon, 1903 – Mexico *'' Heterophrictus'' Pocock, 1900 – India *'' Heteroscodra'' Pocock, 1900 – Cameroon, Gabon, Congo *'' Heterothele'' Karsch, 1879 – Africa, Argentina *'' Holothele'' Karsch, 1879 – Caribbean, South America *'' Homoeomma'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America *'' Hysterocrates'' Simon, 1892 – Africa *'' Idiothele'' Hewitt, 1919 – South Africa *'' Iridopelma'' Pocock, 1901 – Brazil *'' Ischnocolus'' Ausserer, 1871 – Africa, Asia, Brazil, Europe *'' Isiboroa'' Gabriel, Sherwood & Pérez-Miles, 2023 *'' Kankuamo'' Perafán, Galvis & Pérez-Miles, 2016 *'' Kochiana'' Fukushima, Nagahama & Bertani, 2008 – Brazil *'' Lampropelma'' Simon, 1892 – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore *'' Lasiocyano'' Galleti-Lima, Hamilton, Borges & Guadanucci, 2023 – Brazil *'' Lasiodora'' C. L. Koch, 1850 – South America, Costa Rica *'' Lasiodorides'' Schmidt & Bischoff, 1997 – Ecuador, Peru *'' Longilyra'' Gabriel, 2014 – El Salvador *'' Loxomphalia'' Simon, 1889 – Tanzania *'' Loxoptygus'' Simon, 1903 – Ethiopia *'' Lyrognathus'' Pocock, 1895 – Indonesia, India, Malaysia *'' Magnacarina'' Mendoza, Locht, Kaderka, Medina & Pérez-Miles, 2016 – Mexico *'' Mascaraneus'' Gallon, 2005 – Mauritius *'' Megaphobema'' Pocock, 1901 – Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador *'' Melloina'' Brignoli, 1985 – Panama, Venezuela *'' Melognathus'' Chamberlin, 1917 *'' Metriopelma'' Becker, 1878 – Mexico *'' Miaschistopus'' Pocock, 1897 – Venezuela *'' Monocentropus'' Pocock, 1897 – Yemen, Madagascar *''
Munduruku The Munduruku, also known as Mundurucu or Wuy Jugu, are an indigenous people of Brazil living in the Amazon River basin. Some Munduruku communities are part of the Coatá-Laranjal Indigenous Land. They had an estimated population in 2014 of 13 ...
'' Miglio, Bonaldo & Pérez-Miles, 2013 *'' Murphyarachne'' Sherwood & Gabriel, 2022 - Peru *'' Mygalarachne'' Ausserer, 1871 – Honduras *'' Myostola'' Simon, 1903 – Gabon, Cameroon *'' Neischnocolus'' Petrunkevitch, 1925 – Panama *'' Neoheterophrictus'' Siliwal & Raven, 2012 – India *'' Neoholothele'' Guadanucci & Weinmann, 2015 – Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela *''
Neostenotarsus ''Neostenotarsus'' is a genus of Theraphosidae, theraphosid spider, in the Theraphosinae subfamily. It is native to French Guiana. It is monotypic, the only species being ''Neostenotarsus scissistylus''.Nesiergus'' Simon, 1903 – Seychelles *'' Nesipelma'' Schmidt & Kovařík, 1996 – St. Kitts and Nevis *'' Nhandu'' Lucas, 1983 – Brazil, Paraguay *'' Omothymus'' Thorell, 1891 – Malaysia *'' Ornithoctonus'' Pocock, 1892 – Myanmar, Thailand *'' Orphnaecus'' Simon, 1892 – Papua New Guinea, Philippines *'' Ozopactus'' Simon, 1889 – Venezuela *'' Pachistopelma'' Pocock, 1901 – Brazil *'' Pamphobeteus'' Pocock, 1901 – South America, Panama *'' Parvicarina'' Galleti-Lima, Hamilton, Borges & Guadanucci, 2023 *'' Pelinobius'' Karsch, 1885 – Kenya, Tanzania *'' Phlogiellus'' Pocock, 1897 – Asia, Papua New Guinea *'' Phoneyusa'' Karsch, 1884 – Africa *'' Phormictopus'' Pocock, 1901 – Cuba, Argentina, Brazil *''
Phormingochilus ''Phormingochilus'' is a genus of Borneo, Bornean Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1895. They are occasionally kept as exotic pets, and are known for moving in bursts of speed and being defensive when ...
'' Pocock, 1895 – Indonesia *'' Phrixotrichus'' Simon, 1889 – Chile, Argentina *'' Plesiopelma'' Pocock, 1901 – South America *'' Plesiophrictus'' Pocock, 1899 – India, Micronesia, Sri Lanka *'' Poecilotheria'' Simon, 1885 – Sri Lanka, India *'' Proshapalopus'' Mello-Leitão, 1923 – Brazil, Colombia *'' Psalistops'' Simon, 1889 - Colombia and Venezuela *'' Psalmopoeus'' Pocock, 1895 – Trinidad, South America, Central America, Mexico *'' Psednocnemis'' West, Nunn & Hogg, 2012 – Malaysia, Indonesia *'' Pseudhapalopus'' Strand, 1907 – South America, Trinidad *'' Pseudoschizopelma'' Smith, 1995 - Mexico *''
Pterinochilus ''Pterinochilus'' is a genus of Harpactirinae, baboon spiders that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. They are found all throughout Africa. Species it contains ten species, all found in Africa: *''Pterinochilus alluaudi'' Lu ...
'' Pocock, 1897 – Africa *'' Pterinopelma'' Pocock, 1901 – Brazil *'' Reichlingia'' Rudloff, 2001 – Belize *'' Reversopelma'' Schmidt, 2001 – Ecuador or Peru *'' Sahydroaraneus'' Mirza & Sanap, 2014 – India *''
Sandinista The Sandinista National Liberation Front (, FSLN) is a socialist political party in Nicaragua. Its members are called Sandinistas () in both English and Spanish. The party is named after Augusto César Sandino, who led the Nicaraguan resistan ...
'' Longhorn & Gabriel, 2019 *'' Schismatothele'' Karsch, 1879 – Venezuela, Colombia *'' Schizopelma'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Mexico *'' Scopelobates'' Simon, 1903 – Dominican Republic *'' Selenocosmia'' Ausserer, 1871 – Oceania, Asia *'' Selenogyrus'' Pocock, 1897 – Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone *'' Selenotholus'' Hogg, 1902 – Australia *'' Selenotypus'' Pocock, 1895 – Australia *''
Sericopelma ''Sericopelma'' is a genus of tarantula (family Theraphosidae), found in Central America from Nicaragua to Panama. The limits of the genus and its distribution have long been confused; it is closely related to the genus ''Aphonopelma''. ''Serico ...
'' Ausserer, 1875 – Central America, Brazil, Mexico *'' Sickius'' Soares & Camargo, 1948 – Brazil *'' Sphaerobothria'' Karsch, 1879 – Costa Rica, Panama *'' Spinosatibiapalpus'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 *'' Stichoplastoris'' Rudloff, 1997 – El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama *'' Stromatopelma'' Karsch, 1881 – Africa *'' Taksinus'' Songsangchote, Sippawat, Khaikaew & Chomphuphuang, 2022 - Thailand *'' Tapinauchenius'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines *'' Tekoapora'' Galleti-Lima, Hamilton, Borges & Guadanucci, 2023 *'' Thalerommata'' Ausserer, 1875 — Colombia, Mexico *'' Theraphosa'' Thorell, 1870 – South America *'' Thrigmopoeus'' Pocock, 1899 – India *'' Thrixopelma'' Schmidt, 1994 – Peru, Chile *'' Tliltocatl'' - Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala *'' Tmesiphantes'' Simon, 1892 – Brazil *'' Trichognathella'' Gallon, 2004 – South Africa *'' Trichopelma'' Simon, 1888 – Caribbean, South America, Central America *'' Typhochlaena'' C. L. Koch, 1850 – Brazil *'' Umbyquyra'' Gargiulo, Brescovit & Lucas, 2018 – Bolivia, Brazil *'' Urupelma'' Kaderka, Lüddecke, Řezáč, Řezáčová & Hüsser, 2023 *'' Vitalius'' Lucas, Silva & Bertani, 1993 – Brazil, Argentina *'' Xenesthis'' Simon, 1891 – Panama, Venezuela, Colombia *'' Yanomamius'' Bertani & Almeida, 2021 – Brazil, Venezuela *'' Ybyrapora'' Fukushima & Bertani, 2017 – Brazil Former genera: *''Ami'' Pérez-Miles, 2008 → '' Neischnocolus'' *''Barropelma'' Chamberlin, 1940 → '' Neischnocolus'' *'' Eurypelmella'' Strand, 1907, ''
nomen dubium In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium,'' it may be impossible to determine whether a ...
'' *''Magulla'' Simon, 1892 → '' Tmesiphantes'' *''Melloleitaoina'' Gerschman & Schiapelli, 1960 → '' Tmesiphantes''


Fossil record

Fossils of mygalomorph spiders date back to the
Triassic The Triassic ( ; sometimes symbolized 🝈) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.5 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.4 Mya. The Triassic is t ...
. One species assigned to the Theraphosidae is ''Protertheraphosa spinipes'', found in
Burmese amber Burmese amber, also known as Burmite or Kachin amber, is amber from the Hukawng Valley in northern Myanmar. The amber is dated to around 100 million years ago, during the latest Albian to earliest Cenomanian ages of the mid-Cretaceous period. Th ...
, which is dated to the mid and late Cretaceous. pp. 43–45.


See also

*
Cultural depictions of spiders Throughout history, spiders have been depicted in popular culture, mythology, and symbolism. From Greek mythology to African folklore, the spider has been used to represent a variety of things, and endures into the present day with characters such ...
* Guangxitoxin *
Spider bite A spider bite, also known as arachnidism, is an injury resulting from the bite of a spider. The effects of most bites are not serious. Most bites result in mild symptoms around the area of the bite. Rarely they may produce a necrotic skin woun ...
*
Spider taxonomy Spider taxonomy is the part of taxonomy that is concerned with the science of naming, defining and classifying all spiders, members of the Araneae order of the arthropod class Arachnida, which has more than 52,700 described species. However, the ...


References


Further reading

* *


External links


Listing of all currently named Theraphosidae
* {{Authority control Extant Miocene first appearances