TARANTULA Araneae : Theraphosidae : 113 genera World wide Habitat tropical and desert regions; greatest concentration S America Terrestrial or arboreal, carnivorous, mainly nocturnal predators Wild diet: as grasshoppers, crickets and beetles but some of the larger species may also eat mice, lizards and frogs or even small birds Zoo diet: Life Span: (Wild) varies with species and sexes, females tend to live long lives (Captivity) Sexual dimorphism: Location in SF Children s Zoo - Insect Zoo APPEARANCE & PHYSICAL ADAPTATIONS: Tarantulas are large, long-legged, long-living spiders, whose entire body is covered with short hairs, which are sensitive to vibration. They have eight simple eyes arranged in two distinct rows but rely on their hairs to send messages of local movement. These spiders do not spin a web but catch their prey by pursuit, killing them by injecting venom through their fangs. The injected venom liquefies their prey, allowing them to suck out the innards and leave the empty exoskeleton. The chelicerae are vertical and point downward making it necessary to raise its front end to strike forward and down onto its prey. Tarantulas have two pair of book lungs, which are situated on the underside of the abdomen. (Most spiders have only one pair). All tarantulas produce silk through the two or four spinnerets at the end of their abdomen (A typical spiders averages six). New World Tarantulas vs. Old World Tarantulas: New World species have urticating hairs that causes the potential predator to itch and be distracted so the tarantula can get away. They are less aggressive than Old World Tarantulas who lack urticating hairs and their venom is less potent. Arboreal vs. Terrestrial Tarantulas: The Arboreal species will typically reside in a silken "tube tent", while other species will line their burrows with silk to stabilize the burrow wall and facilitate climbing up and down or make silk covers for their burrow entrances as a defense. Arboreal species are more slender and quicker for moving around on the branches. They are able to leap from one branch to the next to escape or get prey. They have long lean bodies to give them speed. The Terrestrial species have a sit and wait approach. They are much heavier and will retreat into the safety of their burrow. They rely on their size to overcome prey.
Indian Ornamental Tarantula or Ornamental Tree Spider Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Poecilotheria regalis Southeastern India holes of tall trees where they make asymmetric funnel webs. Native to monsoon forests, where the climate alternates between very wet and very dry Arboreal, carnivorous Wild: flying insects Special Adaptations: This species is fast and has exhibits a fairly aggressive behavior. They are considered to be a relatively dangerous spider, with venom that may cause intense pain. This species builds funnel web nest in holes of tall trees. Other: Costa Rican Zebra Tarantula or Striped Knee Tarantula Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Aphonopelma seemanni Western Costa Rica, as well as other parts of Central America, such as Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. open semi-arid grasslands, rainforest Nocturnal, carnivorous, terrestrial - Deep burrows Wild: Many insects such as cockroaches, small lizards Special Adaptations: Zebra tarantulas are deep-burrowing spiders. They live in open semi-arid grasslands in Costa Rica, and are found in large aggregations. The deep burrows keep the temperature below the highest daytime temperatures, and retain humidity. Other: Females can live up to 20 years. Males however, tend to live a much shorter life of up to five years. Has urticating hairs but would rather run and hide.
CHACO GOLDEN KNEE or GODEN STRIPPED TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Grammostola pulchripes Chile Tropical forests, prefer humidity levels 70+% Terrestrial, carnivorous Wild: crickets, cockroaches, mealworms and mice Special Adaptations: The Chaco is an opportunistic burrowing terrestrial tarantula: they tend to burrow while younger and adopt a pre-existing hide as its home when it begins to mature. Other: The body of the Chaco golden stripe tarantula is covered in light-colored and pink hair, while the legs bear unmistakable golden bands. This species is the second largest tarantula; largest is the giant tarantula. Unlike other tarantula species, the Chaco golden stripe tarantula rarely utilizes their urticating hairs in self-defense. GOLIATH TARANTULA or GOLIATH BIRDEATER SPIDER Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Theraphosa blondi Venezuela, through Guyana to northeastern Brazil Primary rainforest areas, burrowing into the forest floor in Abandoned rodent burrows Terrestrial, nocturnal hunter Wild: Large arthropods and small rodents Special Adaptations: The cephalothorax and abdomen, the front and rear parts of the body are round. Their 8 eyes are closely grouped, with a pair in the middle and 3 on each side of the face. They have large fangs, 2 pairs of slits on the underside of the abdomen that lead to respiratory organs called the book lungs. Book lungs have many folds lying close together like the pages of a book through which blood passes to acquire oxygen from the outside air. It does not spin a web to capture its prey but catches food by speed. It strikes with its fangs injecting venom into the prey, rolls the prey into a ball and secretes digestive juice on it, and sucks up the liquefied prey. Other: These animals readily flick painful urticating hairs from their abdomen, and when provoked will a painful, but not poisonous, bite with their one inch long fangs. This is the largest spider on earth. Adults have been known to exceed a quarter of a pound in weight with an 11 inches leg span. The females may live up to 18 years; the males will die within a few months of mating. Birdeaters are one of the few tarantula species that lack tibial spurs, located on the first pair of legs of most adult males, which serve to keep the fangs of the female immobilized during mating, so that the female does not eat the male. Females will sometimes eat their mates.
MEXICAN RED-LEGGED or RED-KNEE TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Brachypelma smithii Mazatlan, Papagayo, Colima, Nayarit in Mexico Grasslands, desert, up to 2,000 ft Nocturnal, terrestrial burrowor, carnivorous Wild: insects and other small animals 1 cricket per week Special Adaptations: Both sexes are similar in appearance, with the male having a somewhat smaller body, but longer legs. Like most New World tarantulas, they will kick urticating hairs from their abdomens if disturbed, rather than bite. When the tarantula needs privacy, e.g. when molting or laying eggs, the entrance is sealed with silk sometimes supplemented with soil and leaves. Other: They are quite large, very docile and believed to be one of the most long-lived tarantulas. They grow very slowly and mature relatively late. Males can be expected to live for 10 to 15 years, while females can live considerably longer, somewhere between 20 and 40 years. They carve deep burrows into soil banks, which keeps them protected from predators, like the White-nosed Coati, and enables them to ambush passing prey. Antilles Pink Toe Tarantula, Antilles Pink-toed Tree Spider or Martinique Red Tree Spider Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Avicularia versicolor Guadeloupe and Martinique in the Caribbean Sea, off the coast of South America live in human structures or on plants rather than on the ground, trees Primarily arboreal, carnivorous, nocturnal Wild: mostly flying insects Special Adaptations: They spin elaborate funnel webs in which they spend most of their time during the day. They come out at night to feed. Other: On average, males are slightly more brightly colored than females. Like most tarantulas, males stay much smaller than females- especially in the abdomen. Antilles pinktoes are naturally docile, although they are quick and can jump up to 30 cm (11.8 in) far or high. They have urticating hairs for defense, but unlike terrestrial new world tarantulas they generally do not kick them but instead press them against the perceived threat.
CHILEAN ROSE TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Grammostola N. Chile, Bolivia and Argentina Dry desert and scrub regions Terrestrial burrower, carnivorous, nocturnal Wild: crickets, grass-hoppers, locusts, moths, mealworms, and cockroaches rosea Special Adaptations: Other: Females have been known to live 15 20 years BRAZILIAN SALMON TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Lasiodora NE Brazil Tropical rainforest Terrestrial, carnivorous, nocturnal Wild: insects, lizards, frogs crickets, beetles & coackroaches parahybana Special Adaptations: This tarantula s name comes from the long pink hairs that sprout forth from their abdomens, legs, and chelicerae. The Brazilian Salmon tarantula is one of the largest in the world; they are bulky, with a fairly large body in relation to leg length and active. They have a leg span up to 10. These tarantulas don't burrow much nor do they make large webs but are seen quite frequently in the open. They are voracious feeders, fast growers, and semi-aggressive. In the wild the Brazilian salmon pink tarantula has even been known to prey on some small snakes. These tarantulas have urticating hairs. Other: Females have been known to live 15 20 years
BABOON TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Pterinochilus murinus Angola, central, eastern and southern Africa Dry savanna scrublands where they are found in bushes and low trees, in burrows under rocks, and in vacated animal burrows Terrestrial/burrower, Wild: insects, lizards, mice, and other small animals Special Adaptations: Digs burrows or uses a burrow that has been abandoned. It will lay silk threads on the entrance to feel vibrations from other animals. They have a lot of hairs on body that detect motion in the air. Other: Old world tarantula who is incredibly defensive. Bite is not serious but extremely painful. They are one of the most common African tarantulas available, with numerous color morphs. They are often refered to as OBT or Mombasa Golden Starburst tarantula TRINIDAD OLIVE TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Holothele incei Trinidad rainforests Terrestrial/burrower Wild: crickets, insects Special Adaptations: A new world tarantula, which has urticating hairs but would rather run and hide then defend itself. They are very fast. This species can be housed communally without exhibit cannibalism. Other: Small species of tarantula but are able to take down prey their own size. Adults are about 2. Females can live between 10 to 15 years while males live to be about 3 to 5 years. They are able to lay multiple (usually 2 from a single pairing) egg sacs which each contain 100+ eggs. This species is docile with a bite that is equivalent to a bee sting. An example of insular dwarfism where species that evolve on islands gradually become smaller than mainland counterparts.
VENEZUELAN SUNTIGER TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Psalmopoeus Mainly Eastern Venezuela, also Brazil and Northern Guyana Humid dense vegetation, rainforest trees arboreal Wild: insects and other small animals crickets, meal worms irminia Special Adaptations: They do not possess urticating hairs as defense mechanism (rare for New World Tarantula). Instead they are more aggressive than most South and Central America. Their venom is quite potent. Other: large species reaching 6 in in length. Fast growth rate mature in 2-3 years. TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Wild: Special Adaptations: Other: Theraphosidae
TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Wild: Special Adaptations: Other: TARANTULA Arachnida Araneae Theraphosidae Wild: Special Adaptations: Other: