''Avicularia'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

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 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 ...

containing various

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), ...

arboreal Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally (scansorial), but others are exclusively arboreal. The hab ...

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 usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...

s. The genus is native to

Panama Panama, officially the Republic of Panama, is a country in Latin America at the southern end of Central America, bordering South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north, and ...

, the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

, and tropical

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 ...

. Each species in the genus has very distinguishable pink foot pads. Species belonging to this genus are amongst the relatively small exception of tarantulas that can jump moderate distances as juveniles, with most tarantulas being limited to lunges of 3-4 centimeters.

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 are distinct to

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: ...

tarantulas including the ''Avicularia'' that are attached to the spider's cuticle ''via'' a stalk. These spiny, barbed hairs are used as a defense against potential intruders as well as embedded into silk to protect the egg sac. In active defense, the hairs are released by contact with the stimulus and rubbed in. At least three species of ''Avicularia'' are threatened by habitat loss and illegal trafficking, due to their popularity as exotic pets. ''

Avicularia avicularia ''Avicularia avicularia'', sometimes called the pinktoe tarantula, is a species of tarantula native from Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago to Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. This species is sometimes called the Guyana p ...

'' are among the tarantulas most commonly kept as pets for their "stunning" color and size.

Taxonomy

The genus ''Avicularia'' was erected in 1818 by

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet, chevalier de Lamarck (1 August 1744 – 18 December 1829), often known simply as Lamarck (; ), was a French naturalist, biologist, academic, and soldier. He was an early proponent of the idea that biologi ...

for species previously placed in ''Mygale'' Latreille, 1802, the genus name used at the time for most

mygalomorph 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 ...

spiders. One of the species Lamarck included in his new genus was ''Avicularia canceridea'', which included ''Aranea avicularia'', first described by

Carl 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 ...

in 1758. Araneologists continued to use the name ''Mygale'', although this had been used for genus of mammals in 1800, so was not available for Latreille to use for spiders. Ausserer in 1871 used ''Avicularia'', but a degree of confusion persisted until a decision of the

International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is an organization dedicated to "achieving stability and sense in the scientific naming of animals". Founded in 1895, it currently comprises 26 commissioners from 20 countries. Orga ...

in 1928 established the correctness of ''Avicularia'', with the type species being Linnaeus' ''Aranea avicularia'' in the combination ''

''. Linnaeus' name ''Avicularia'' is derived from the Latin ''avicula'', meaning "little bird", with the suffix ''-aria,'' which is the Latin female singular form of ''-arius,'' meaning "pertaining to." This refers to a 1705 illustration by

Maria Sibylla Merian Maria Sibylla Merian (2 April 164713 January 1717) was a German Entomology, entomologist, naturalist and scientific illustrator. She was one of the earliest European naturalists to document observations about insects directly. Merian was a desce ...

, showing a tarantula that appears to be of this genus feeding on a bird. The English names "bird spider" and "bird-eating spider," and the German name for tarantula, ''Vogelspinne'' (a compound noun literally meaning "bird" ogel"spider" pinne reflect this Latin name. Ironically, the term "bird-eater" is more typically applied to the common names of large

terrestrial Terrestrial refers to things related to land or the planet Earth, as opposed to extraterrestrial. Terrestrial may also refer to: * Terrestrial animal, an animal that lives on land opposed to living in water, or sometimes an animal that lives on o ...

species of tarantulas, such as the Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi), the burgundy Goliath bird eater (Theraphosa stirmi), and the Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana). A major review of the genus drastically reduced the number of species recognized, from over 50 to 12, . Some species have been transferred to other genera, with others reduced to

synonymy 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 ...

. Yet more names are considered to be doubtful in their application (''

nomina dubia 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 ...

'').

Species

, 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 species: *''

'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...

) – Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana, Trinidad and Tobago, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia *''

Avicularia caei ''Avicularia caei'' is a species of spiders in the family Theraphosidae found in 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 a ...

'' Fukushima & Bertani, 2017 – Brazil *''

Avicularia glauca ''Avicularia glauca'' is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Panama. The species was first described by Eugène Simon in 1891. , only a single female preserved specimen is known. It appears to be closely related to ''Avicula ...

'' Simon, 1891 – Panama *''

Avicularia hirschii ''Avicularia hirschii'' is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Ecuador, Peru and Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries ...

'' Bullmer, Thierer-Lutz & Schmidt, 2006 – Ecuador, Peru, Brazil *''

Avicularia juruensis ''Avicularia juruensis'' is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in South America (Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Brazil). ''Avicularia urticans'' was brought into synonymy in 2017. It has been given the English name Amazonian pink ...

'' Mello-Leitão, 1923 – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil *'' Avicularia lynnae'' Fukushima & Bertani, 2017 – Peru, Ecuador *'' Avicularia merianae'' Fukushima & Bertani, 2017 – Peru *'' Avicularia minatrix'' Pocock, 1903 – Venezuela, Brazil *''

Avicularia purpurea ''Avicularia purpurea'', also called the Ecuadorian purple tarantula or Ecuador purple pinktoe, is a species of spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). Distribution These spiders are mainly present in Ecuador Ecuador, ...

'' Kirk, 1990 – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru *'' Avicularia rufa'' Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1945 – Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil *'' Avicularia taunayi'' (Mello-Leitão, 1920) – Brazil *'' Avicularia variegata'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896 – Venezuela, Brazil Transferred to other genera: *''Avicularia affinis'' (Nicolet, 1849) → ''

Euathlus affinis ''Euathlus affinis'' is a species of spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). It is native to Chile. Taxonomy The species was first described in 1849 as ''Mygale affinis''. However, ''Mygale'' had been used previously for a gen ...

'' *''Avicularia aymara'' (Chamberlin, 1916) → ''

Thrixopelma aymara ''Thrixopelma'' is a genus of South American Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Günter Schmidt (arachnologist), Günter E. W. Schmidt in 1994. They are medium to large Tarantula, tarantulas, usually being 35mm to 60mm in body l ...

'' *''Avicularia caesia'' (C.L. Koch, 1842) → ''

Caribena laeta ''Caribena laeta'' is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Cuba, the last dubiously according to Caroline Fukushima and Rogério Bertani in 2017. It was first described by Carl Ludwig ...

'' *''Avicularia diversipes'' (C.L. Koch, 1842) → ''

Ybyrapora diversipes ''Ybyrapora diversipes'' is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae found in 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 ...

'' *''Avicularia dubia'' → ''

Vitalius dubius ''Vitalius'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by S. Lucas, P. I. da Silva Jr. & Rogério Bertani in 1993. Diagnosis They can be distinguished from other tarantulas by the lack of stridulating hairs on the prolate ...

'' *''Avicularia duplex'' → ''

Aphonopelma duplex ''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 ...

'' *''Avicularia embrithes'' → '' Brachypelma embrithes'' *''Avicularia emilia'' → ''

Brachypelma emilia The Mexican redleg or red-legged tarantula (''Brachypelma emilia'') is a species of terrestrial tarantula closely related to the famous Mexican redknee tarantula. Like the redknee it is a docile tarantula and popular in the pet trade. It is sl ...

'' *''Avicularia epicureana'' → '' Brachypelma epicureanum'' *''Avicularia gamba'' Bertani & Fukushima, 2009 → ''

Ybyrapora gamba ''Ybyrapora'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in Brazil. Its species were formerly placed in the genus ''Avicularia''. Description ''Ybrapora'' consists of species that are smaller than most aviculariines. ...

'' *''Avicularia geotoma'' → ''

Aphonopelma geotoma ''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 ...

'' *''Avicularia guyana'' → '' Eupalaestrus guyanus'' *''Avicularia hageni'' → '' Aphonopelma hageni'' *''Avicularia helluo'' → '' Aphonopelma helluo'' *''Avicularia hespera'' → '' Aphonopelma hesperum'' *''Avicularia hirsuta'' (Pocock, 1901) → ''

Iridopelma hirsutum ''Iridopelma'' is a genus of Brazilian tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. Diagnosis Males of this genus can be distinguished by the tibial spurs on leg 1 and 2, while females differ from most other genera by th ...

'' *''Avicularia imperatrix'' → '' Plesiopelma imperatrix'' *''Avicularia laeta'' (C. L. Koch, 1842) → ''

'' *''Avicularia lanceolata'' → '' Aphonopelma lanceolatum'' *''Avicularia latens'' → ''

Aphonopelma latens ''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 ...

'' *''Avicularia magdalena'' (Karsch, 1879) → ''

Hapalopus formosus ''Hapalopus formosus'', also referred to as ''Hapalopus sp. Colombia'' or pumpkin patch tarantula, is a tarantula, first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875. It is found in Colombia. Description Males of this species live from 3 to 4 years, wh ...

'' *''Avicularia marxi'' → '' Aphonopelma marxi'' *''Avicularia mendozae'' → '' Grammostola mendozae'' *''Avicularia mesomelas'' → ''

Megaphobema mesomelas ''Megaphobema'' is a genus of Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. They look similar to members of ''Pamphobeteus'' except for its legs; the third and fourth pairs of legs are much larger and stronge ...

'' *''Avicularia minax'' (Thorell, 1894) → ''

Grammostola doeringi ''Grammostola'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described in text by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. These medium- to large-sized spiders are native to tropical South America, and are usually brown in color, with pinkish or ora ...

'' *''Avicularia muritelaria'' (Holmberg, 1876) → '' Kukulcani ahibernalis'' (Hentz, 1842) (''

Filistatidae Crevice weaver spiders (Filistatidae) comprise cribellate spiders with features that have been regarded as " primitive" for araneomorph spiders. They are weavers of funnel or tube webs. The family contains 18 genera and more than 120 described s ...

'') *''Avicularia myodes'' → '' Plesiopelma myodes'' *''Avicularia obscura'' → '' Ami obscura'' *''Avicularia pallida'' → '' Aphonopelma pallidum'' *''Avicularia palmicola'' (Mello-Leitão, 1945) → ''

'' *''Avicularia panamensis'' → '' Sericopelma panamense'' *''Avicularia parva'' → ''

Catumiri parvum ''Catumiri'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by J. P. L. Guadanucci in 2004. The name is derived from the Tupi "''Catumiri''", meaning "very small". Description Members of ''Catumiri'' have a labium that is much ...

'' *''Avicularia parvior'' → '' Lasiodora parvior'' *''Avicularia pulchra'' (Mello-Leitão, 1933) and ''Avicularia recifiensis'' (Struchen & Brändle, 1996) → ''

Pachistopelma rufonigrum ''Pachistopelma rufonigrum'' is a species of theraphosid, contained within the Aviculariinae subfamily. It is endemic to Brazil. Characteristic features This tarantula differs from '' P. bromelicola'' by having a slender fourth metatarsus, with ...

'' *''Avicularia regina'' (Chamberlin, 1917) → '' Homoeomma strabo'' *''Avicularia rustica'' → '' Aphonopelma rusticum'' *''Avicularia rutilans'' Ausserer, 1875 → ''

Caribena versicolor ''Caribena'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in the Antilles. The two species accepted were formerly placed in ''Avicularia''. Apart from a different distribution – ''Avicularia'' species are found in mai ...

'' *''Avicularia sabulosa'' → '' Brachypelma sabulosum'' *''Avicularia saltator'' (Pocock, 1903) → ''

Eupalaestrus weijenberghi ''Eupalaestrus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. Species it contains six species, found in Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil: *''Eupalaestrus campestratus'' (Simon, 1891) ...

'' *''Avicularia seemanni'' → '' Aphonopelma seemani'' *''Avicularia seladonia'' → ''

Typhochlaena seladonia ''Typhochlaena seladonia'' is a species of aviculariine tarantula, and is the type species of the genus '' Typhochlaena''. It is unique as an arboreal spider that constructs trapdoors in the bark of trees. The common name is the Brazilian jewel ...

'' *''Avicularia serrata'' → '' Aphonopelma serratum'' *''Avicularia smithi'' → '' Brachypelma smithi'' *''Avicularia sooretama'' Bertani & Fukushima, 2009 → ''

Ybyrapora sooretama ''Ybyrapora sooretama'' is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Brazil. Taxonomy This species was described by Rogério Bertani and Caroline Sayuri Fukushima in 2009 as ''Avicularia sooretama''. However, it was subsequently ...

'' *''Avicularia subvulpina'' Strand, 1906 → ''

Grammostola subvulpina ''Grammostola'' is a genus of South American Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described in text by Eugène Simon, Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. These medium- to large-sized spiders are native to tropical South America, and are usually brown ...

'' *''Avicularia spinicrus'' → '' Citharacanthus spinicrus'' *''Avicularia steindachneri'' → '' Aphonopelma steindachneri'' *''Avicularia stoica'' → '' Aphonopelma stoicum'' *''Avicularia tamaulipeca'' → '' Clavopelma tamaulipeca'' *''Avicularia tripeppi'' → ''

Nhandu tripepii ''Nhandu tripepii'' is a spider species, and is a theraphosine theraphosid. It is native to Brazil.Aphonopelma truncatum'' *''Avicularia vagans'' → '' Brachypelma vagans'' *''Avicularia vellutina'' → ''

Vitalius vellutinus ''Vitalius'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by S. Lucas, P. I. da Silva Jr. & Rogério Bertani in 1993. Diagnosis They can be distinguished from other tarantulas by the lack of stridulating hairs on the prolate ...

'' *''Avicularia versicolor'' → ''

'' *''Avicularia violacea'' → '' Tapinauchenius violaceus'' *''Avicularia wacketi'' → ''

Vitalius wacketi ''Vitalius'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by S. Lucas, P. I. da Silva Jr. & Rogério Bertani in 1993. Diagnosis They can be distinguished from other tarantulas by the lack of stridulating hairs on the prolate ...

'' *''Avicularia zorodes'' → ''

Iridopelma zorodes ''Iridopelma'' is a genus of Brazilian tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. Diagnosis Males of this genus can be distinguished by the tibial spurs on leg 1 and 2, while females differ from most other genera by th ...

'' Treated as synonyms or as ''

'': *''Avicularia ancylochira'' Mello-Leitão, 1923, synonym of ''A. avicularia'' *''Avicularia arabica'' (Strand, 1908), ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia aurantiaca'' Bauer, 1996, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia azuraklaasi'' Tesmoingt, 1996, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia bicegoi'' Mello-Leitão, 1923, synonym of '' A. variegata'' *''Avicularia braunshauseni'' Tesmoingt, 1999, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia cuminami'' Mello-Leitão, 1930, synonym of ''A. avicularia'' *''Avicularia detrita'' (C. L. Koch, 1842), ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia doleschalli'' (Ausserer, 1871), ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia exilis'' Strand, 1907, synonym of ''A. avicularia'' *''Avicularia fasciculata'' Strand, 1907, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia geroldi'' Tesmoingt, 1999, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia gracilis'' (Keyserling, 1891) → ''Ischnocolus gracilis'', ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia hirsuta'' (Ausserer, 1875), ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia holmbergi'' Thorell, 1890, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia huriana'' Tesmoingt, 1996, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia leporina'' (C. L. Koch, 1841) → ''Iridopelma leporina'', ''nom. dub.'' *''

Avicularia metallica 250px, ''Avicularia metallica'' is considered to be a doubtful name (''nomen dubium''), and was not accepted as a valid species by the World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider ta ...

'' Ausserer, 1875, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia nigrotaeniata'' Mello-Leitão, 1940, synonym of ''A. avicularia'' *''Avicularia ochracea'' (Perty, 1833), ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia plantaris'' (C. L. Koch, 1842) → ''Iridopelma plantaris'', ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia rapax'' (Ausserer, 1875), ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia soratae'' Strand, 1907, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia surinamensis'' Strand, 1907, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia ulrichea'' Tesmoingt, 1996, ''nom. dub.'' *''Avicularia urticans'' Schmidt, 1994, synonym of '' A. juruensis'' *''Avicularia velutina'' Simon, 1889, synonym of ''A. avicularia'' *''Avicularia walckenaeri'' (Perty, 1833), ''nom. dub.'' File:Avicularia caei male ZK218.jpg, ''

'' male File:Avicularia hirschii female ZK186.jpg, ''

'' female File:Avicularia juruensis male morphotype 2 ZK121.jpg, ''

'' male File:Avicularia lynnae male ZK209.jpg, '' Avicularia lynnae'' male File:Avicularia merianae female ZK199.jpg, '' Avicularia merianae'' female File:Avicularia minatrix female ZK88.jpg, '' Avicularia minatrix'' female File:Avicularia purpurea female northern form ZK168.jpg, ''

'' female File:Avicularia rufa male ZK146.jpg, '' Avicularia rufa'' male File:Avicularia taunayi female ZK102.jpg, '' Avicularia taunayi'' female File:Avicularia variegata female morphotype 2 ZK74.jpg, '' Avicularia variegata'' female

References

External links

* * {{Authority control Theraphosidae Theraphosidae genera Spiders of South America Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck