''Poecilotheria formosa'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
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 ...
, commonly known as the salem ornamental, beautiful parachute spider, or finely formed parachute spider.
Distribution
''P. formosa'' is found only in South-Eastern Ghats between Salem and
Tirupathi Tirupati is a major pilgrimage city in Tirupati district of Andhra Pradesh, India.
Tirupati may also refer to:
Andhra Pradesh, India
* Tirupati district, a district in the state of Andhra Pradesh
* Tirupati Temple, in Tirupati
* Tirupati Municipa ...
in southern
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
. The population is decreasing due to
habitat loss
Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss and habitat reduction) is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting its native species. The organisms that previously inhabited the site are displaced or dead, thereby ...
and pet trade.
References
Further reading
* Encyclopedia of Life
''P. formosa''* ''Poecilotheria formosa'
* Iti
External links
TarantupediaImages
Poecilotheria, formosa
Spiders of the Indian subcontinent
Endemic fauna of India
Spiders described in 1899
{{Theraphosidae-stub