TARANTULA Tarantula Order: Araneae Sub-Order: Mygalomorphae Family: Theraphosidae Genus: more than 60 Species: more than 800 Male size: 30 (span 70 mm) Female size: 130 mm (span 300 mm) Habitat: Dry and well-drained soils, deserts, rain forests Range: Worldwide

Identification

Body and hairy legs mark tarantula out, the colour can vary from reddish brown to black. It's a loner spider that hides in cracks, burrows, under rocks or debris, and crop plants like bananas and pineapples. The cephalothorax and abdomen are both round and the evident bald spot in the abdomen takes part of the defensive strategy accepted by tarantula against its enemies. Tarantula has 8 closely grouped eyes, with a middle pair and 3 on each side, has large fangs and may produce a typical hissing sound obtained by friction of palps, legs or jaws.


Behaviour

It likes to stay hidden in its haunt and becomes active in the late afternoon. It's a nocturnal predator whose principal weapon is speed and not spinning web. Any animal of the right size that moves surround it's a possible prey: normally tarantula prefers insects, little birds, small lizards and other spiders (tarantulas included). In dangerous situations it starts rubbing its rear legs over the body spreading off irritating hairs that will be replaced with the next moult.


see also it's toughest enemy Tarantula Hawk