''Monocentropus'' 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 ...

tarantulas Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the Family (biology), family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Therap ...

that was first described by

Reginald Innes Pocock Reginald Innes Pocock, (4 March 1863 – 9 August 1947) was a British zoologist. Pocock was born in Clifton, Bristol, the fourth son of Rev. Nicholas Pocock and Edith Prichard. He began showing interest in natural history at St. Edward's ...

in 1897. it contains three species, found on

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

and in

Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...

: '' M. balfouri'', '' M. lambertoni'', and '' M. longimanus''. ''M. balfouri'' has many unusual characteristics for a tarantula species, most notably their heightened defensiveness towards humans, gregarious nature with others of their own kind, and strong maternal instincts, with mothers even bringing food to their spiderlings. Their striking blue coloration and tendency to live in colonies make them an attractive, rewarding but challenging and obstreperous-natured pet.

References

Theraphosidae genera Spiders of Africa Spiders of Asia Taxa named by R. I. Pocock Theraphosidae {{Theraphosidae-stub

See also

References