''Poecilotheria striata'', or the Mysore ornamental tarantula, is a large arboreal tarantula of the family

Theraphosidae 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 m ...

. It is endemic to

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 ...

Ecology

The species is found in dry and moist deciduous forests, at altitudes between 500 and 1000 m. It appears to be present in fewer than 10 severely fragmented locations.

Conservation status

''P. striata'' is classified as vulnerable due to its restricted and declining range and occupancy, and the ongoing fragmentation of its habitat. The species is commonly traded in the

pet trade Wildlife trade refers to the of products that are derived from non-domesticated animals or plants usually extracted from their natural environment or raised under controlled conditions. It can involve the trade of living or dead individuals, ti ...

. A distribution survey published in 2015 found further population losses and suggested that the species be reclassified as Near Threatened.

References

External links

P. striata at ITISGenus Poecilotheria at CITES.org
striata Spiders of Asia Spiders described in 1895 Endemic fauna of Sri Lanka {{Theraphosidae-stub