''Monocentropus balfouri'' is a

tarantula Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,040 species have been identified, with 156 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...

in the ''

Monocentropus ''Monocentropus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. it contains three species, found on Madagascar and in Yemen: '' M. balfouri'', '' M. lambertoni'', and '' M. longimanus''. ''M. balfouri'' has ...

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

, it was first described by

Reginald Innes Pocock Reginald Innes Pocock F.R.S. (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 ...

in 1897. This

is also called Socotra Island Blue Baboon Tarantula, usually shortened to Blue Baboon Tarantula. This spider is named after its collector

Isaac Bayley Balfour Sir Isaac Bayley Balfour, KBE, FRS, FRSE (31 March 1853 – 30 November 1922) was a Scottish botanist. He was Regius Professor of Botany at the University of Glasgow from 1879 to 1885, Sherardian Professor of Botany at the University of Oxfor ...

. It is found in

Socotra Socotra or Soqotra (; ar, سُقُطْرَىٰ ; so, Suqadara) is an island of the Republic of Yemen in the Indian Ocean, under the ''de facto'' control of the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council, a secessionist participant in Yemen’s ...

Island, hence the common name. This tarantula is terrestrial and an opportunistic burrower. Like many tarantulas, ''M. balfouri'' can be kept as a pet, although it is not a beginner species.

Description

The adult coloration of ''M. balfouri'' is striking, a vivid blue, though some red and amber variants have been seen very rarely. This tarantula's carapace is blue, as is the leg except for the trochanter, which like the rest of the body is a cream color or grey. The

opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma (cephalothorax). It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs and others). Although it is similar in most respects to a ...

(abdomen) is a cream color, grey and partially blue. Females of this species live for about 10 to 14 years of age, while males tend to live for about 3 to 4 years. Its venom potency is not known. Although it is believed by some to be able to kill a

dromedary The dromedary (''Camelus dromedarius'' or ;), also known as the dromedary camel, Arabian camel, or one-humped camel, is a large even-toed ungulate, of the genus ''Camelus'', with one hump on its back. It is the tallest of the three species of ...

, this is most likely not the case.

Habitat

This spider is found in

, which is part of

Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...

. Socotra is known for having a unique ecosystem. This spider is usually found 850 meters

above sea level Height above mean sea level is a measure of the vertical distance (height, elevation or altitude) of a location in reference to a historic mean sea level taken as a vertical datum. In geodesy, it is formalized as ''orthometric heights''. The comb ...

, the average temperature in

is 28°C with an average of 193 millimeters of annual rainfall, and an average humidity of 65%.

is home to narrow

coastal plain A coastal plain is flat, low-lying land adjacent to a sea coast. A fall line commonly marks the border between a coastal plain and a piedmont area. Some of the largest coastal plains are in Alaska and the southeastern United States. The Gulf Coa ...

s, a

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; ), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. Often one or more sides ha ...

and the

Hajhir Mountains The Hajhir massif is a mountain range situated on the island of Socotra, Yemen. It is the highest point of the island. Geography The granite spires of the Hajhir massif are located in the hinterland of Soqotra and are most easily accessed via t ...

. This island flora is also unique, being home to plants such as ''

Dracaena cinnabari ''Dracaena cinnabari'', the Socotra dragon tree or dragon blood tree, is a dragon tree native to the Socotra archipelago, part of Yemen, located in the Arabian Sea. It is named after the blood-like color of the red sap that the trees produce. ...

,'' the Dragon's blood tree.

Behavior

A unique behavior of this

is that it is communal, to the point that mother spiders care for the young, even attacking potential predators if they get too close to her

egg sac Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, 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 dive ...

. In captivity, multiple males and females of different ages may live together without attacking one another, provided that they have enough food and proper care. When threatened, ''M. balfouri'' gives a characteristic “threat pose,” rearing up on the hind legs and baring the

chelicerae The chelicerae () are the mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated fangs, or similarly ...

. Further provocation will lead this tarantula to deliver a fast strike and bite, especially if protecting an

. As it is a species of tarantula found in the Old World, ''M. balfouri'' does not possess

urticating hairs 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 genus ...

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1314052 Spiders of Asia Theraphosidae Spiders described in 1897 Taxa named by R. I. Pocock