Rick C. West (born 3 December 1951) is a Canadian

arachnologist Arachnology is the scientific study of arachnids, which comprise spiders and related invertebrates such as scorpions, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, ticks, and mites. Those who study spiders and other arachnids are arachnologists. More narrowly ...

and an expert on the

taxonomy image:Hierarchical clustering diagram.png, 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme o ...

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 ...

spiders. West was born in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Situated in the Pacific Northwest between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, the province has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that ...

. He has been interested in

spiders Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight limbs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species di ...

since childhood, and collected his first tarantula, '' Aphonopelma eutylenum'', at the age of 13. He worked primarily as a Chief Constable for a local Animal Humane Society, but also have been involved with the collecting, breeding, rearing and

photography Photography is the visual arts, art, application, and practice of creating images by recording light, either electronically by means of an image sensor, or chemically by means of a light-sensitive material such as photographic film. It is empl ...

of theraphosid spiders. West has traveled to over 27 countries to document and study them in their environment, has been a host, presenter and co-producer in several tarantula

documentaries A documentary film (often described simply as a documentary) is a nonfiction motion picture intended to "document reality, primarily for instruction, education or maintaining a historical record". The American author and media analyst Bill ...

and has also described several

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 ...

and

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), ...

Described theraphosid taxa

Genera *'' Antikuna'' Kaderka, Ferretti, West, Lüddecke & Hüsser, 2021 *'' Chinchaysuyu'' Ferretti, Chaparro, Ochoa & West, 2023 *'' Crassicrus'' Reichling & West, 1996 *'' Psednocnemis'' West, Nunn & Hogg, 2012 Species *'' Antikuna urayrumi'' Ferretti, Kaderka & West, in Kaderka et al., 2021 *''

Antikuna valladaresi Antikuna or Anticona may refer to: * Ticlio Ticlio (or Anticona) is a mountain pass and the highest point (4,818 m or 15,807 ft) of the Central Highway of Peru (km 120), located in the Andes Mountains in the Chicla District, Huarochirí Province ...

'' Ferretti, Kaderka & West, in Kaderka et al., 2021 *'' Bistriopelma kiwicha'' Nicoletta, Chaparro, Mamani, Ochoa, West & Ferretti, 2020 *''

Bistriopelma peyoi ''Bistriopelma'' is a genus of spider, being a Theraphosinae, theraphosine Theraphosidae, theraphosid (tarantula). Etymology The generic name ''Bistriopelma'' comes from the Latin ''bi-'' meaning "two" and ''strio'' meaning "stripe". This refer ...

'' Nicoletta, Chaparro, Mamani, Ochoa, West & Ferretti, 2020 *''

Chaetopelma persianum ''Chaetopelma persianum'', the Persian gold tarantula, is a species of tarantula native to northwestern Iran. First described in 2023, the species is the first of its genus to be recorded in Iran. Distribution ''Chaetopelma persianum'' has been ...

'' Zamani & West, 2023 *'' Chinchaysuyu spinosa'' Ferretti, Chaparro, Ochoa & West, 2023 *'' Citharacanthus meermani'' Reichling & West, 2000 *''

Coremiocnemis hoggi ''Coremiocnemis'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. They are named after the greek words korema, which means broom or brush, and kemis, meaning shin guard. Being a reference to the hirsute characteri ...

'' West & Nunn, 2010 *''

Coremiocnemis kotacana ''Coremiocnemis'' is a genus of Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Simon, Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. They are named after the greek words korema, which means broom or brush, and kemis, meaning shin guard. Being a refer ...

'' West & Nunn, 2010 *''

Coremiocnemis obscura ''Coremiocnemis'' is a genus of 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 ...

'' West & Nunn, 2010 *'' Crassicrus lamanai'' Reichling & West, 1996 *''

Cyclosternum palomeranum ''Cyclosternum palomeranum'' is a tarantula in the genus ''Cyclosternum'', first described by Rick C. West in 2020. This tarantula is found in Mexico in the state of Jalisco, and is named after Mr. N M Palomera. Description This tarantula is ...

'' West, 2000 *'' Ephebopus cyanognathus'' West & Marshall, 2000 *''

Ephebopus foliatus ''Ephebopus foliatus'' is a species of tarantula (family Theraphosidae) found in Guiana. References Theraphosidae Spiders described in 2008 Spiders of South America Taxa named by Rick C. West {{Theraphosidae-stub ...

'' West, Marshall, Fukushima & Bertani, 2008 *'' Ephebopus rufescens'' West & Marshall, 2000 *''

Hapalotremus apasanka ''Hapalotremus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas in the Theraphosinae subfamily that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. They have red or white Type III urticating (relatively long, thin) hairs, up to , with a fine point ...

'' Sherwood, Ferretti, Gabriel & West, 2021 *''

Hapalotremus carabaya ''Hapalotremus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas in the Theraphosinae subfamily that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. They have red or white Type III urticating (relatively long, thin) hairs, up to , with a fine point ...