Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy

spider 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 ...

s of the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Theraphosidae. , 1,040

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 ...

have been identified, with 156

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although many other members of the same infraorder (

Mygalomorphae The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to the ...

) are commonly referred to as "tarantulas" or "false tarantulas". Some of the more common species have become popular in the exotic pet trade. Many

New World The term ''New World'' is often used to mean the majority of Earth's Western Hemisphere, specifically the Americas."America." ''The Oxford Companion to the English Language'' (). McArthur, Tom, ed., 1992. New York: Oxford University Press, p. 3 ...

species kept as pets have

seta In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...

e known as urticating hairs that can cause irritation to the skin, and in extreme cases, cause damage to the eyes.

Overview

Like all

arthropod Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...

s, the tarantula is an

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...

that relies on an

exoskeleton An exoskeleton (from Greek ''éxō'' "outer" and ''skeletós'' "skeleton") is an external skeleton that supports and protects an animal's body, in contrast to an internal skeleton (endoskeleton) in for example, a human. In usage, some of the ...

for muscular support.Pomeroy, R. (2014, February 4). Pub. Real Clear Science, "Spiders, and Their Amazing Hydraulic Legs and Genitalia". Retrieved October 13, 2019, from https://www.realclearscience.com/blog/2013/02/spiders-their-amazing-hydraulic-legs-and-genitals.html. Like other Arachnida, a tarantula's body comprises two main parts, the

prosoma The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...

(or cephalothorax) and 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 ...

(or abdomen). The prosoma and opisthosoma are connected by the

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

, or pregenital somite. This waist-like connecting piece is actually part of the prosoma and gives the opisthosoma a wide range of motion relative to the prosoma. Tarantula sizes can range from as small as the size of a

BB pellet A BB gun is a type of air gun designed to shoot metallic spherical projectiles called BBs (not to be confused with similar-looking bearing balls), which are approximately the same size as BB-size lead birdshot used on shotguns ( in diameter ...

Schneider, J. (2017, October 19). Farewell to the World's Smallest Tarantula? Retrieved October 13, 2019, from https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2017/Oct-Nov/Conservation/Spruce-Fir-Moss-Spider. to as large as a dinner plate when the legs are fully extended.Dolasia, M. (2019, September 26). World's Biggest Spider Weighs As Much As A Newborn Puppy. Retrieved October 13, 2019, from https://www.dogonews.com/2014/10/26/worlds-biggest-spider-weighs-as-much-as-a-newborn-puppy. Depending on the species, the body length of tarantulas ranges from about ,Jovan, Dennis, Kj, & Kenneth. (2019, May 1). Theraphosa blondi. Retrieved October 13, 2019, from https://www.theraphosidae.be/en/theraphosa-blondi/ . with leg spans of . Leg span is determined by measuring from the tip of the back leg to the tip of the front leg on the opposite side. Some of the largest species of tarantula may weigh over ; the largest of all, the

goliath birdeater The Goliath birdeater (''Theraphosa blondi'') belongs to the tarantula family Theraphosidae. Found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass () and body length (up to ), and second to the giant huntsman spider by l ...

(''Theraphosa blondi'') from

Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...

and

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, has been reported to attain a weight of and a leg-span up to , males being longer and females greater in girth. The fang size of this tarantula reaches a maximum of . Tarantula Burrow

'' Theraphosa apophysis'' (the pinkfoot goliath) was described 187 years after the goliath birdeater, so its characteristics are not as well attested. '' T. blondi'' is generally thought to be the heaviest tarantula, and '' T. apophysis'' has the greatest leg span. Two other species, ''

Lasiodora parahybana ''Lasiodora parahybana'', the Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula, also simply known as the salmon pink or LP, is a tarantula from north-eastern Brazil and considered to be the fourth largest tarantula in the world (behind the three spec ...

'' (the Brazilian salmon birdeater) and '' Lasiodora klugi'', rival the size of the two goliath spiders. Tarantula in burrow

Most species of

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

n tarantulas are brown. Elsewhere, species have been found that variously display cobalt blue (''

Cyriopagopus lividus The cobalt blue tarantula or ''Cyriopagopus lividus'' is a species of tarantula which is in the family Theraphosidae which is native to Myanmar and over the border into Thailand. It was originally described as ''Haplopelma lividum''. Descriptio ...

''), black with white stripes ('' Aphonopelma seemanni''), yellow leg markings (''

Eupalaestrus campestratus ''Eupalaestrus campestratus'', known as the pink zebra beauty,
pictured at (private) Scott's Tarantulas website is a terrestrial

''), metallic blue legs with vibrant orange abdomen and green prosoma ('' Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens''). Their natural habitats include

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to ...

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses (Poaceae). However, sedge (Cyperaceae) and rush (Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur natur ...

such as in the

pampa The Pampas (from the qu, pampa, meaning "plain") are fertile South American low grasslands that cover more than and include the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Córdoba; all of Uruguay; and Brazil ...

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

scrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, Herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or ...

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited Summit (topography), summit area, and ...

s, and

cloud forest A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF), is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud c ...

. They are generally classed among the terrestrial types. They are burrowers that live in the ground. Tarantulas are becoming increasingly popular as pets and some species are readily available in captivity.

Identification

Tarantulas can be confused with other members of the order

, such as trapdoor spiders,

funnel-web spider Funnel-web spider refers to many different species of spider, particularly those that spin a web in the shape of a funnel: * spiders in the family Agelenidae, including ** '' Hololena curta'' * funnel-web tarantulas (suborder Mygalomorphae): ** ...

s and

purseweb spider Atypidae, also known as atypical tarantulas or purseweb spiders, is a spider family containing only three genera. They are accomplished ambush predators that spend most of their time in a sock-like, silken retreat on the ground from where they ki ...

s. They can also be confused with some members of the order Araneomorphae such as the Lycosidae family. There are multiple ways to identify a tarantula. First the hairs: in the

Americas The Americas, which are sometimes collectively called America, are a landmass comprising the totality of North and South America. The Americas make up most of the land in Earth's Western Hemisphere and comprise the New World. Along with th ...

most tarantulas have urticating hairs, though some, such as the ''

Hemirrhagus ''Hemirrhagus'' is a genus of Mexican tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. It is considered a senior synonym of ''Spelopelma''. Species of the genus ''Hemirrhagus'' are 5 to 12 cm long, usually black in colour, the ...

'' genus, lack these. The hairs are usually more noticeable than with most other

s. Another is the size, as tarantulas tend to be bigger, but this is again not a failproof way. They also don't use their webs for hunting, instead using them as building material or tripwire. One of the most decisive ways to tell is by looking at their fangs. Tarantula fangs face downwards, as opposed to those of true spiders, which face each other, allowing them to make pincerlike motions. They also own two

book lung A book lung is a type of respiration organ used for atmospheric gas exchange that is present in many arachnids, such as scorpions and spiders. Each of these organs is located inside an open ventral abdominal, air-filled cavity (atrium) and conn ...

s, as opposed to true spiders which only have one. Their lifespan is also longer than most spiders. File:Kaldari Phidippus johnsoni male defense.jpg, alt=, A '' Phidippus johnsoni'' jumping spider's fangs File:Lasiodora parahybana, chelicerae.JPG, alt=, A ''

'' tarantula's fangs Austin tarantula

Etymology

The spider originally bearing the name ''tarantula'' was ''

Lycosa tarantula ''Lycosa tarantula'' is the species originally known as the tarantula, a name that nowadays in English commonly refers to spiders in another family entirely, the Theraphosidae. It now may be better called the tarantula wolf spider, being in the ...

'', a species of

wolf spider Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are opportunistic hunters, pouncing upon prey as they find it or ...

native to Mediterranean Europe.Fabre, Jean-Henri; Translated by Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (1916
The Life of the spider
Dodd, Mead, New York. The name is derived from the southern Italian town of

Taranto Taranto (, also ; ; nap, label= Tarantino, Tarde; Latin: Tarentum; Old Italian: ''Tarento''; Ancient Greek: Τάρᾱς) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto, serving as an important com ...

. The term ''tarantula'' was subsequently applied to almost any large, unfamiliar species of ground-dwelling spider, in particular to the

and especially the

Theraphosidae. Compared to tarantulas,

s are not particularly large or hairy, and so among English speakers in particular, usage eventually shifted in favour of the Theraphosidae, even though they are not closely related to wolf spiders at all, being in a different infraorder. Mojave Tarantula

The name ''tarantula'' is also incorrectly applied to other large-bodied spiders, including the

s or

atypical tarantula Atypidae, also known as atypical tarantulas or purseweb spiders, is a spider family containing only three genera. They are accomplished ambush predators that spend most of their time in a sock-like, silken retreat on the ground from where they ki ...

s, the funnel-webs (

Dipluridae The family Dipluridae, known as curtain-web spiders (or confusingly with other distantly related ones as funnel-web tarantulas) are a group of spiders in the infraorder Mygalomorphae, that have two pairs of booklungs, and chelicerae (fangs) tha ...

and Hexathelidae), and the

dwarf tarantula Dwarf tarantulas, also known as sheet funnel-web spiders are a type of spider from the family Mecicobothriidae. Dwarf tarantulas are one of several families of the suborder Mygalomorphae; this larger group also includes the true tarantulas. Desc ...

s. These spiders are related to tarantulas (all being

mygalomorphs The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to th ...

) but fall into different

families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...

from them.

Huntsman spider Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometim ...

s of the family

Sparassidae Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometim ...

have also been termed ''tarantulas'' because of their large size, when, in fact, they are not related. Instead, huntsman spiders belong to the infraorder Araneomorphae.

The element ''pelma'' in genus names

Many theraphosid genera have names, either accepted or

synonymous A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

, containing the element ''pelma''. This can be traced back to

Carl Ludwig Koch Carl Ludwig Koch (21 September 1778 – 23 August 1857) was a German entomologist and arachnologist. He was responsible for classifying a great number of spiders, including the Brazilian whiteknee tarantula and common house spider. He was bo ...

in 1850, who in describing his new genus ''Eurypelma'' wrote, "" (). German

arachnologists Arachnology is the scientific study of arachnids, which comprise spiders and related invertebrates such as scorpions, pseudoscorpions, and harvestmen. Those who study spiders and other arachnids are arachnologists. More narrowly, the study of sp ...

use the word to refer to the tarsus (the last article of a spider's leg). Translations of into Latin use the word . Hence in English arachnological terminology, Koch meant 'the

scopula ''Scopula'' is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae described by Franz von Paula Schrank in 1802. Species It has 705 species which are listed here alphabetically. A *'' Scopula ablativa'' (Dognin, 1911) *''Scopula abolita'' Herbulot, 9 ...

of the base of the tarsus very wide'. ''Eury-'' is derived from the Greek (), meaning 'wide', while () means 'the sole of the foot', paralleling Koch's use of (in modern spelling). Thus ''Eurypelma'' literally means 'wide footsole'; however, arachnologists have conventionally taken ''pelma'' in such names to refer to the scopula, so producing the meaning 'with a wide scopula'. Other genus names or synonyms that Estrada-Alvarez and Cameron regard as having 'footsole' or 'scopula' meanings include: *''Acanthopelma'' – Greek () 'thorn, spine'; overall meaning 'spiny footsole' *''Brachypelma'' – Greek () 'short'; overall meaning 'short scopula' *''Metriopelma'' – Greek () 'of moderate size'; overall meaning 'medium length scopula' *''Schizopelma'' – from the Greek origin combining form ''schizo-'' () 'split'; overall meaning 'split footsole' *''Sericopelma'' – Greek () 'silky'; overall meaning 'silken scopula' Later, particularly following genus names published by R.I. Pocock in 1901, the element ''pelma'' appears to have become synonymous with 'theraphosid'. For example, the author of ''Cardiopelma'' writes, "" ('Cardiopelma refers to the female genitalia that evoke the shape of a heart'), with no reference to either 'footsole' or 'scopula'. Names interpreted in this way include: *''Aphonopelma'' – Greek () 'soundless'; overall meaning 'theraphosid without sound' *''Cardiopelma'' – Greek () 'heart'; overall meaning 'heart theraphosid' (referring to the heart-shaped female genitalia) *''Clavopelma'' – Latin 'club'; overall meaning 'theraphosid with club-shaped hairs' *''Delopelma'' – Greek () 'clear, obvious, visible, conspicuous, plain'; overall meaning 'theraphosid without plumose hair' *''Gosipelma'' – the element ''gosi-'' means 'desert', relating to the Gosiute people; overall meaning 'desert theraphosid' *''Spelopelma'' – Greek () 'cave'; overall meaning 'cave theraphosid'

Distribution

Tarantulas of various species occur throughout the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, in

Central America Central America ( es, América Central or ) is a subregion of the Americas. Its boundaries are defined as bordering the United States to the north, Colombia to the south, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. ...

, and throughout

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. Other species occur variously throughout

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, much of

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an area ...

(including the

Ryukyu Islands The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yonaguni ...

in southern

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

), and all of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. In

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

, some species occur in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

, southern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, and

Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...

Habits

Some

of tarantulas hunt prey primarily in trees; others hunt on or near the ground. All tarantulas can produce

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...

; while arboreal species typically reside in a silken "tube tent", terrestrial species line their

burrow An Eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of sh ...

s with silk to stabilize the

wall and facilitate climbing up and down. Tarantulas mainly eat large insects and other arthropods such as

centipede Centipedes (from New Latin , "hundred", and Latin , " foot") are predatory arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda (Ancient Greek , ''kheilos'', lip, and New Latin suffix , "foot", describing the forcipules) of the subphylum Myriapoda, an ...

s, millipedes, and other

s, using ambush as their primary method of prey capture. Armed with their massive, powerful chelicerae tipped with long,

chitinous Chitin ( C8 H13 O5 N)n ( ) is a long-chain polymer of ''N''-acetylglucosamine, an amide derivative of glucose. Chitin is probably the second most abundant polysaccharide in nature (behind only cellulose); an estimated 1 billion tons of chiti ...

fangs, tarantulas are well-adapted to killing other large

s. The biggest tarantulas sometimes kill and consume small vertebrates such as

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

mice A mouse ( : mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...

s, and small

snake Snakes are elongated, Limbless vertebrate, limbless, carnivore, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other Squamata, squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping Scale (zoology), scales. Ma ...

Appendages

The eight legs, the two chelicerae with their fangs, and the pedipalps are attached to the

. The chelicerae are two double-segmented appendages located just below the eyes and directly forward of the mouth. The chelicerae contain the

venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

glands that vent through the fangs. The fangs are hollow extensions of the chelicerae that inject venom into prey or animals that the tarantula bites in defense, and they are also used to

masticate Chewing or mastication is the process by which food is crushed and ground by teeth. It is the first step of digestion, and it increases the surface area of foods to allow a more efficient break down by enzymes. During the mastication process, t ...

. These fangs are articulated so that they can extend downward and outward in preparation to bite or can fold back toward the chelicerae as a pocket knife blade folds back into its handle. The chelicerae of a tarantula completely contain the venom glands and the muscles that surround them, and can cause the venom to be forcefully injected into prey. The pedipalpi are two six-segmented appendages connected to the prosoma near the mouth and protruding on either side of both chelicerae. In most species of tarantulas, the pedipalpi contain sharp, jagged plates used to cut and crush food often called the coxae or

maxillae The maxilla (plural: ''maxillae'' ) in vertebrates is the upper fixed (not fixed in Neopterygii) bone of the jaw formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones. In humans, the upper jaw includes the hard palate in the front of the mouth. The t ...

. As with other spiders, the terminal portions of the pedipalpi of males function as part of their reproductive system. Male spiders spin a silken platform (sperm web) on the ground onto which they release

semen Semen, also known as seminal fluid, is an organic bodily fluid created to contain spermatozoa. It is secreted by the gonads (sexual glands) and other sexual organs of male or hermaphroditic animals and can fertilize the female ovum. Semen i ...

from glands in their

. Then they insert their pedipalps into the semen, absorb the semen into the pedipalps, and later insert the pedipalps (one at a time) into the reproductive organ of the female, which is located in her abdomen. The terminal segments of the pedipalps of male tarantulas are moderately larger in circumference than those of a female tarantula. Male tarantulas have special

spinnerets A spinneret is a silk-spinning organ of a spider or the larva of an insect. Some adult insects also have spinnerets, such as those borne on the forelegs of Embioptera. Spinnerets are usually on the underside of a spider's opisthosoma, and are ...

surrounding the genital opening. Silk for the sperm web of the tarantula is exuded from these special spinnerets. Lasiodora parahybana, claws

Tarantula, Attacking Position, Photo by Sascha Grabow

A tarantula has four pairs of legs and two additional pairs of appendages. Each leg has seven segments, which from the prosoma out are: coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, tarsus and pretarsus, and claw. Two or three retractable claws at the end of each leg are used to grip surfaces for climbing. Also on the end of each leg, surrounding the claws, is a group of bristles, called the scopula, which help the tarantula to grip better when climbing surfaces such as glass. The fifth pair is the pedipalps, which aid in feeling, gripping prey, and mating in the case of a mature male. The sixth pair of appendages is the chelicerae and their attached fangs. When walking, a tarantula's first and third legs on one side move at the same time as the second and fourth legs on the other side of its body. The muscles in a tarantula's legs cause the legs to bend at the joints, but to extend a leg, the tarantula increases the pressure of haemolymph entering the leg. Tarantulas, like almost all other spiders, have their primary spinnerets at the end of the opisthosoma. Unlike most spider species in the infraorder Araneomorphae, which includes the majority of extant spider species, and most of which have six, tarantula species have two or four spinnerets. Spinnerets are flexible, tube-like structures from which the

exudes its silk. The tip of each spinneret is called the spinning field. Each spinning field is covered by as many as 100 spinning tubes through which silk is exuded. As the silk is pulled out of the spinnerets, the shear forces cause proteins in the silk to crystallize, transforming it from a liquid to a solid thread.

Digestive system

The tarantula's mouth is located under its chelicerae on the lower front part of its

. The mouth is a short, straw-shaped opening that can only suck, meaning that anything taken into it must be in liquid form. Prey with large amounts of solid parts, such as mice, must be crushed and ground up or predigested, which is accomplished by coating the prey with digestive juices secreted from openings in the chelicerae. The tarantula's digestive organ (stomach) is a tube that runs the length of its body. In the

, this tube is wider and forms the sucking stomach. When the sucking stomach's powerful muscles contract, the stomach is increased in cross-section, creating a strong sucking action that permits the tarantula to suck its liquefied prey up through the mouth and into the intestines. Once the liquefied food enters the intestines, it is broken down into particles small enough to pass through the intestine walls into the

hemolymph Hemolymph, or haemolymph, is a fluid, analogous to the blood in vertebrates, that circulates in the interior of the arthropod (invertebrate) body, remaining in direct contact with the animal's tissues. It is composed of a fluid plasma in which ...

(blood stream), where it is distributed throughout the body. After feeding, the leftovers are formed into a small ball by the tarantula and thrown away. In a terrarium, they often put them into the same corner.

Nervous system

A tarantula's central nervous system (brain) is located in the bottom of the inner

. A tarantula perceives its surroundings primarily via sensory organs called

e (bristles or spines, sometimes referred to as hairs). Although a tarantula has eight eyes like most

s, touch is its keenest sense, and in hunting, it primarily depends on vibrations given off by the movements of its prey. A tarantula's setae are very sensitive organs and are used to sense chemical signatures, vibrations, wind direction, and possibly even sound. Tarantulas are also very responsive to the presence of certain chemicals such as pheromones. Cyclosternum fasciatum, eye region

The eyes are located above the chelicerae on the forward part of the prosoma. They are small and usually set in two rows of four. Most tarantulas are not able to see much more than light, darkness, and motion. Arboreal tarantulas generally have better vision compared with terrestrial tarantulas.

Respiratory system

All types of tarantulas have two sets of

s (breathing organs); the first pair is located in a cavity inside the lower front part of the abdomen near where the abdomen connects to the

cephalothorax The cephalothorax, also called prosoma in some groups, is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms ''prosoma'' and ''opisthosoma'' are equivalent to ''cepha ...

, and the second pair is slightly farther back on the abdomen. Air enters the cavity through a tiny slit on each side of and near the front of the abdomen. Each lung consists of 15 or more thin sheets of folded tissue arranged like the pages of a book. These sheets of tissue are supplied by blood vessels. As air enters each lung, oxygen is taken into the blood stream through the blood vessels in the lungs. Needed moisture may also be absorbed from humid air by these organs.

Circulatory system

A tarantula's blood is unique (not only in appearance); an oxygen-transporting protein is present (the copper-based

hemocyanin Hemocyanins (also spelled haemocyanins and abbreviated Hc) are proteins that transport oxygen throughout the bodies of some invertebrate animals. These metalloproteins contain two copper atoms that reversibly bind a single oxygen molecule (O2) ...

), but not enclosed in blood cells such as the erythrocytes of mammals. A tarantula's blood is not true blood, but rather a liquid called

(or haemolymph). At least four types of hemocytes, or hemolymph cells, are known. The tarantula's heart is a long, slender tube located along the top of the

. The heart is neurogenic as opposed to myogenic, so nerve cells instead of muscle cells initiate and coordinate the heart. It pumps hemolymph to all parts of the body through open passages often referred to as sinuses, and not through a circular system of blood vessels. If the

is breached, loss of hemolymph will kill the spider unless the wound is small enough that the hemolymph can dry and close it.

Predators

Despite their large size and fearsome appearance and reputation, tarantulas themselves are prey for many other animals. The most specialized of these predators are large members of the wasp family Pompilidae such as the wasp ''

Hemipepsis ustulata ''Hemipepsis ustulata'' is a species of tarantula hawk wasp native to the Southwestern United States. Tarantula hawks are a large, conspicuous family of long-legged wasps that prey on tarantulas. They use their long legs to grapple with their pre ...

''. These wasps are called " tarantula hawks". The largest tarantula hawks, such as those in the genus '' Pepsis'', track, attack, and kill large tarantulas. They use

olfaction The sense of smell, or olfaction, is the special sense through which smells (or odors) are perceived. The sense of smell has many functions, including detecting desirable foods, hazards, and pheromones, and plays a role in taste. In humans, it ...

to find the lair of a tarantula. The wasp must deliver a sting to the underside of the spider's cephalothorax, exploiting the thin membrane between the basal leg segments. This paralyzes the spider, and the wasp then drags it back into its burrow before depositing an egg on the prey's abdomen. The wasp then seals the spider in its burrow and flies off to search for more hosts. The wasp egg hatches into a larva and feeds on the spider's inessential parts, and as it approaches pupation, it consumes the remainder. Other arthropods, such as large scorpions and giant centipedes, are also known to prey on tarantulas. Tarantulas are also preyed upon by a wide variety of vertebrates. Many of these, including lizards, frogs, birds, snakes and mammals, are generalist predators of all kinds of large arthropods. Mammals that have been known to prey on tarantulas, such as the

coati Coatis, also known as coatimundis (), are members of the family Procyonidae in the genera ''Nasua'' and ''Nasuella''. They are diurnal mammals native to South America, Central America, Mexico, and the southwestern United States. The name "c ...

, kinkajou, and

opossum Opossums () are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia () endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 93 species in 18 genera. Opossums originated in South America and entered North ...

in the

, and mongooses and the honey badger in the

Old World The "Old World" is a term for Afro-Eurasia that originated in Europe , after Europeans became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia, which were previously thought of by the ...

, are often immune to the venom of their arthropod prey. Humans also consume tarantulas for food in their native ranges. They are considered a delicacy in certain cultures (e.g. Venezuela and Cambodia). They can be roasted over an open fire to remove the bristles (described further below) and then eaten. Fried Tarantula in Cambodian Restaurant

Tarantulas have evolved specialized bristles, or

setae In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...

, to defend themselves against predators. Besides the normal bristles covering the body, some tarantulas also have a dense covering of irritating bristles called urticating hairs, on the

, that they sometimes use as protection against enemies. These bristles are present on most New World species, but not on any specimens from the Old World. Urticating hairs are usually kicked off the abdomen by the tarantula, but some may simply rub the abdomen against the target, like the genus '' Avicularia''. These fine bristles are barbed and serve to irritate. They can be lethal to small animals such as rodents. Some people are sensitive to these bristles, and develop serious itching and rashes at the site. Exposure of the eyes and respiratory system to urticating hairs should be strictly avoided. Species with urticating hairs can kick these bristles off; they are flicked into the air at a target using their back pairs of legs. Tarantulas also use these bristles for other purposes, such as to mark territory or to line their shelters (the latter such practice may discourage flies from feeding on the spiderlings). Urticating hairs do not grow back, but are replaced with each molt. The intensity, number, and flotation of the bristles depends on the species of tarantula. To predators and other enemies, these bristles can range from being lethal to simply being a deterrent. With humans, they can cause irritation to eyes, nose, and skin, and more dangerously, the lungs and airways, if inhaled. The symptoms range from species to species, from person to person, from a burning itch to a minor rash. In some cases, tarantula bristles have caused permanent damage to human eyes. Some setae are used to

stridulate Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fish, snakes and spiders. The mech ...

, which makes a hissing sound. These bristles are usually found on the chelicerae. Stridulation seems to be more common in Old World species.

Bites and urticating bristles

All tarantulas are venomous. Although their

is not deadly to humans, some bites cause serious discomfort that might persist for several days. In general, the effects of the bites of all kinds of tarantula are not well known. While the bites of many species are known to be no worse than a wasp sting, accounts of bites by some species are reported to be very painful and to produce intense spasms that may recur over a period of several days; the

of the African tarantula '' Pelinobius muticus'' also causes strong hallucinations. For ''

Poecilotheria ''Poecilotheria'' is a genus of tarantulas native to India and Sri Lanka. It was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1885. They are arboreal tarantulas, commonly known as ornamental tarantulas, known for their vivid color patterns, fast mov ...

'' species, researchers have described more than 20 bites with the delayed onset of severe and diffuse muscle cramps, lasting for several days, that in most cases resolved completely with the use of

benzodiazepines Benzodiazepines (BZD, BDZ, BZs), sometimes called "benzos", are a class of depressant drugs whose core chemical structure is the fusion of a benzene ring and a diazepine ring. They are prescribed to treat conditions such as anxiety disorders, i ...

and

magnesium Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It is a shiny gray metal having a low density, low melting point and high chemical reactivity. Like the other alkaline earth metals (group 2 of the periodic ta ...

. In all cases, seeking medical aid is advised. Because other proteins are included when a

toxin A toxin is a naturally occurring organic poison produced by metabolic activities of living cells or organisms. Toxins occur especially as a protein or conjugated protein. The term toxin was first used by organic chemist Ludwig Brieger (1849– ...

is injected, some individuals may suffer severe symptoms due to an

allergic reaction Allergies, also known as allergic diseases, refer a number of conditions caused by the hypersensitivity of the immune system to typically harmless substances in the environment. These diseases include hay fever, food allergies, atopic derma ...

rather than to the venom. Such allergic effects can be life-threatening. Additionally, the large fangs of a tarantula can inflict painful

puncture wound Penetrating trauma is an open wound injury that occurs when an object pierces the skin and enters a tissue of the body, creating a deep but relatively narrow entry wound. In contrast, a blunt or ''non-penetrating'' trauma may have some deep dama ...

s, which can lead to secondary bacterial infections if not properly treated. Before biting, a tarantula may signal its intention to attack by rearing up into a "threat posture", which may involve raising its prosoma and lifting its front legs into the air, spreading and extending its fangs, and (in certain species) making a loud hissing by

stridulating Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fish, snakes and spiders. The mech ...

. Tarantulas often hold this position for longer than the duration of the original threat. Their next step, without biting, may be to slap down on the intruder with their raised front legs. If that response fails to deter the attacker, the tarantulas of the Americas may next turn away and flick urticating hairs toward the pursuing predator. The next response may be to leave the scene entirely, but especially if no line of retreat is available, their final response may also be to whirl suddenly and bite. Some tarantulas are well known to give "dry bites", i.e., they may defensively bite some animal that intrudes on their space and threatens them, but they do not pump

into the wound. New-world tarantulas—those indigenous to the Americas—have bites that generally pose little threat to humans (other than causing localized pain). Most of them are equipped with urticating hairs on their abdomens, and almost always throw these barbed bristles as the first line of defense. These bristles irritate sensitive areas of the body and especially seem to target curious animals that may sniff these bristles into the mucous membranes of the nose. Some species have more effective urticating bristles than others. The

is known for its particularly irritating urticating bristles. They can penetrate the

cornea The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and lens, the cornea refracts light, accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power ...

, so eye protection should be worn when handling such tarantulas.

tarantulas have no urticating bristles and are more likely to attack when disturbed. They often have more potent, medically significant

, and are faster and much more nervous and defensive than

species. Some dangerous spider species are related to tarantulas and are frequently confused with them. A popular

urban legend An urban legend (sometimes contemporary legend, modern legend, urban myth, or urban tale) is a genre of folklore comprising stories or fallacious claims circulated as true, especially as having happened to a "friend of a friend" or a family m ...

maintains that deadly varieties of tarantula exist somewhere in

. This claim is often made without identifying a particular spider, although the "banana tarantula" is sometimes named. A likely candidate for the true identity of this spider is the dangerous

Brazilian wandering spider ''Phoneutria'' is a genus of spiders in the family Ctenidae. Phoneutria venom is potentially medically significant to humans. They are mainly found in northern South America, with one species in Central America. Members of the genus are commo ...

('' Phoneutria fera'') of the family Ctenidae, as it is sometimes found hiding in clusters of bananas and is one of several spiders called "banana spiders". It is not technically a tarantula, but it is fairly large (4- to 5-inch legspan), somewhat ″hairy″, and is highly

ous to humans. Another dangerous type of

s that have been confused with tarantulas are the

Australian funnel-web spider Atracidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders, commonly known as Australian funnel-web spiders or atracids. It has been included as a subfamily of the Hexathelidae, but is now recognized as a separate family. All members of the family are native to ...

s. The best known species of these is the Sydney funnel-web spider (''

Atrax robustus The Sydney funnel-web spider (''Atrax robustus'') is a species of venomous mygalomorph spider native to eastern Australia, usually found within a radius of Sydney. It is a member of a group of spiders known as Australian funnel-web spiders. I ...

'') a

that is aggressive, highly

ous, and (prior to the development of antivenom in the 1980s) was responsible for numerous deaths in

. These

s are members of the same infraorder as tarantulas,

. Some Australians use the slang term "triantelope" (a corruption of the incorrect term tarantula, which is also used) for large, ″hairy″, and harmless members of the

huntsman spider Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometim ...

family, which are often found on interior household walls and in automobiles.

Sexual dimorphism

Some tarantula species exhibit pronounced

sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...

. Males tend to be smaller (especially their abdomens, which can appear quite narrow) and may be dull in color when compared to their female counterparts, as in the species '' Haplopelma lividum''. Mature male tarantulas also may have tibial hooks on their front legs, which are used to restrain the female's fangs during copulation. Males typically have longer legs than the females. California ebony tarantula

A juvenile male's sex can be determined by looking at a cast

exuvia In biology, exuviae are the remains of an exoskeleton and related structures that are left after ecdysozoans (including insects, crustaceans and arachnids) have moulted. The exuviae of an animal can be important to biologists as they can often b ...

for epiandrous fusillae or spermathecae. Females possess

spermatheca The spermatheca (pronounced plural: spermathecae ), also called receptaculum seminis (plural: receptacula seminis), is an organ of the female reproductive tract in insects, e.g. ants, bees, some molluscs, oligochaeta worms and certain other ...

e, except for the species '' Sickius longibulbi'' and '' Encyocratella olivacea''. Males have much shorter lifespans than females because they die relatively soon after maturing. Few live long enough for a postultimate molt, which is unlikely in natural habitats because they are vulnerable to predation, but has happened in captivity, though rarely. Most males do not live through this molt, as they tend to get their emboli, mature male sexual organs on pedipalps, stuck in the molt. Most tarantula fanciers regard females as more desirable as pets due to their much longer lifespans. Wild-caught tarantulas are often mature males because they wander out in the open and are more likely to be caught.

Life cycle

Like other spiders, tarantulas have to shed their

periodically as they grow, a process called

molting In biology, moulting (British English), or molting (American English), also known as sloughing, shedding, or in many invertebrates, ecdysis, is the manner in which an animal routinely casts off a part of its body (often, but not always, an outer ...

. A young tarantula may do this several times a year as a part of the maturation process, while full-grown specimens only molt once a year or less, or sooner, to replace lost limbs or lost urticating hairs. It is visibly apparent that molting is imminent when the

takes on a darker shade. If a tarantula previously used its urticating hairs, the bald patch turns from a peach color to deep blue. The tarantula also stops feeding and becomes more lethargic during this time. While most Tarantulas species take between two to five years to reach sexual maturity, some species can take up to 10 years. Upon reaching adulthood, males typically have an 18-month period left to live so immediately go in search of a female mate. Although females continue to molt after reaching maturity, male rarely do again once they reach adulthood. Those that do often can become stuck during the molting process due to their sexual organs and die. Female can live for 30 to 40 years. ''

Grammostola rosea The Chilean rose tarantula (''Grammostola rosea''), also known as the rose hair tarantula, the Chilean fire tarantula, or the Chilean red-haired tarantula (depending on the color morph), is probably the most common species of tarantula available i ...

'' spiders, which eat once or twice a week, have lived up to 20 years in captivity. Some have survived on water alone for up to two years.

Reproduction

Phormictopus cancerides cancerides, baby

After reaching sexual maturity, a female tarantula normally mates and lays eggs once per year, although they do not always do so. As with other spiders, the mechanics of intercourse are quite different from those of

mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...

s. Once a male spider reaches maturity and becomes motivated to mate, he weaves a web mat on a flat surface. The spider then rubs his abdomen on the surface of this mat, and in so doing, releases a quantity of semen. He may then insert his pedipalps (short, leg-like appendages between the chelicerae and front legs) into the pool of semen. The pedipalps absorb the semen and keep it viable until a mate can be found. When a male spider detects the presence of a female, the two exchange signals to establish that they are of the same species. These signals may also lull the female into a receptive state. If the female is receptive, then the male approaches her and inserts his pedipalps into an opening in the lower surface of her abdomen, the

. After the semen has been transferred to the receptive female's body, the male swiftly leaves the scene before the female recovers her appetite. Although females may show some aggression after mating, the male rarely becomes a meal. Females deposit 50 to 2,000 eggs, depending on the species, in a silken egg sac and guard it for six to eight weeks. During this time, the females stay very close to the egg sacs and become more aggressive. Within most species, the females turn the egg sac often, which is called brooding. This keeps the eggs from deforming due to sitting in one position too long. The young spiderlings remain in the nest for some time after hatching, where they live off the remains of their yolk sacs before dispersing.

Taxonomy

Linnaeus placed all spiders in a single genus, ''Aranea''. In 1802,

Charles Athanase Walckenaer Baron Charles Athanase Walckenaer (25 December 1771 – 28 April 1852) was a French civil servant and scientist. Biography Walckenaer was born in Paris and studied at the universities of University of Oxford, Oxford and University of Glasgow ...

separated mygalomorph spiders into a separate genus, ''Mygale'', leaving all other

s in '' Aranea''. However, ''Mygale'' had already been used in 1800 by

Georges Cuvier Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric, Baron Cuvier (; 23 August 1769 – 13 May 1832), known as Georges Cuvier, was a French natural history, naturalist and zoology, zoologist, sometimes referred to as the "founding father of paleontology". Cuvier ...

for a genus of mammals (in Greek, ''mygale'' means "

shrew Shrews (family Soricidae) are small mole-like mammals classified in the order Eulipotyphla. True shrews are not to be confused with treeshrews, otter shrews, elephant shrews, West Indies shrews, or marsupial shrews, which belong to different fa ...

"). Accordingly, in 1869,

Tamerlan Thorell Tord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell (3 May 1830 – 22 December 1901) was a Sweden, Swedish arachnologist. Thorell studied spiders with Giacomo Doria at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale de Genoa. He corresponded with other arachnologists, such as Oc ...

used the family name "Theraphosoidae" (modern Theraphosidae) for the mygalomorph spiders known to him, rather than "Mygalidae" (as used, for example, by John Blackwall). Thorell later split the family into a number of genera, including ''Theraphosa''.

Subfamilies

A 2019 phylogenomic study recognized 12 subfamilies, one (Ischnocolinae) known not to be

monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...

. * Aviculariinae *

Eumenophorinae The Eumenophorinae are a subfamily of tarantula spiders (family Theraphosidae). They are known from genera distributed across Sub-Saharan Africa, the south of the Arabian peninsula, Madagascar and its associated islands, and parts of India. D ...

Harpactirinae The Harpactirinae (commonly called baboon spiders) are a subfamily of tarantulas which are native to the continent of Africa. Like many Old World tarantulas, they have a relatively strong venom, and can inflict a painful bite. Description Harp ...

* Ischnocolinae *

Ornithoctoninae Ornithoctoninae is a subfamily of tarantulas found in Southeast Asia. It was first erected in 1895 by Reginald Innes Pocock based on the type specimen ''Ornithoctonus andersoni''. The Ornithoctoninae comprise a theraphosid subfamily, which is w ...

* Poecilotheriinae * Psalmopoeinae * Schismatothelinae *

Selenocosmiinae The ''Selenocosmiinae'' are a subfamily of tarantulas (Mygalomorphae: 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 ...

Stromatopelminae The Stromatopelminae are a subfamily of tarantulas native to West Africa and part of Central Africa. The subfamily was first proposed by Günter Schmidt in 1993. Taxonomy The subfamily Stromatopelminae was first proposed by Günter Schmidt in ...

Theraphosinae The Theraphosinae are a large subfamily of Mygalomorphae spiders in the family Theraphosidae found in the Neotropical realm. Genera The subfamily Theraphosinae includes these genera: * '' Acanthoscurria'' * '' Aenigmarachne'' * ''Aphonopelma' ...

* Thrigmopoeinae The relationship between the subfamilies found in the study is shown in the following cladogram. The dual placing of Ischnocolinae is highlighted. All the species that possess urticating hairs and have been seen to use them in bombardment behavior are placed in the "bombardier clade", although not all species in the included subfamilies possess such hairs (all '' Schismatothelinae'' lack them as do most '' Psalmopoeinae'' genera). It is not clear whether the possession of urticating hairs was an ancestral trait of the clade, and has been lost in some species, or whether it represents multiple gains. Foley ''et al.'' suggested that the second hypothesis appeared to be better supported. Other subfamilies that have been recognized include: * Acanthopelminae – may be treated as synonymous with Ischnocolinae *

Selenogyrinae The Selenogyrinae are a subfamily of tarantulas found in Africa and Asia."Family: Therap ...

* Spelopelminae – typically not accepted, ''Hemirrhagus'' being treated as Theraphosinae

Genera

, the

World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...

accepted the following genera: *'' Acanthopelma'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Guyana *''

Acanthoscurria ''Acanthoscurria'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871.They are found throughout South America including the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname ...

'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America, Guatemala *''

Acentropelma ''Acentropelma'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae. It was first described in 1901 by Pocock. , it contains 4 species. Description Genus ''Acentropelma'' resembles genus ''Metriopelma'', with the distinction of ''Scopula'' on ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – Belize, Mexico, Guatemala *''

Aenigmarachne ''Aenigmarachne'' is a monotypic genus of tarantulas containing the single species, ''Aenigmarachne sinapophysis''. It was first described by Günter E. W. Schmidt in 2005, and has only been found in Costa Rica. See also * List of Theraphosidae ...

'' Schmidt, 2005 – Costa Rica *''

Agnostopelma ''Agnostopelma'' is a genus of Colombian tarantulas that was first described by F. Pérez-Miles & D. Weinmann in 2010. it contains two species, found in Colombia: ''Agnostopelma gardel'' and ''Agnostopelma tota''. See also * List of Theraphosida ...

'' Pérez-Miles & Weinmann, 2010 – Colombia *''

Aguapanela Aguapanela, '' agua de panela'' or ''agüepanela'' is a drink commonly found throughout South America and a few parts of Central America and Caribbean. Its literal translation means "panela water" as it is an infusion made from panela which is der ...

'' Perafán & Cifuentes, 2015 *''

Amazonius Apollo Amazonius ( Gr. ) was a cultic epithet of the Greek god Apollo, under which he was worshiped, and had a temple at Pyrrhichus in Laconia. The name was derived either from the belief that the mythological Amazons had penetrated into the Pel ...

'' Cifuentes & Bertani, 2022 - South America *''

Annandaliella ''Annandaliella'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by A. S. Hirst in 1909. it contains three species endemic to India: '' A. ernakulamensis'', '' A. pectinifera'', and '' A. travancorica''. They are selenogyrid tarantulas, meanin ...

'' Hirst, 1909 – India *''

Anoploscelus ''Anoploscelus'' is a genus of East African Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. It was erected for the species ''Anoploscelus celeripes'', based on a single male collected near Lake Tanganyika in mo ...

'' Pocock, 1897 – Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda *'' Anqasha'' Sherwood & Gabriel, 2022 - Peru *'' Antikuna'' Kaderka, Ferretti, West, Lüddecke & Hüsser, 2021 - Peru *'' Antillena'' Bertani, Huff & Fukushima, 2017 – Dominican Republic *'' Aphonopelma'' Pocock, 1901 – North America, Central America *''

Augacephalus ''Augacephalus'' is a genus of harpacterine theraphosid spiders. It has three species, all of which are found in Africa. Taxonomy and etymology The type species of ''Augacephalus'' is ''A. breyeri'' which was described as '' Pterinochilus brey ...

'' Gallon, 2002 – South Africa, Mozambique, Eswatini *'' Avicularia'' Lamarck, 1818 – South America, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama *'' Bacillochilus'' Gallon, 2010 – Angola *'' Batesiella'' Pocock, 1903 – Cameroon *''

Birupes ''Birupes'' is a monotypic genus of southeast Asian tarantulas containing the single species, ''Birupes simoroxigorum''. It was first described by R. Gabriel and D. Sherwood in 2019, and it has only been found in Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is ...

'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 2019 – Malaysia *''

Bistriopelma ''Bistriopelma'' is a genus of spider, being a theraphosine theraphosid (tarantula). Etymology The generic name ''Bistriopelma'' comes from the Latin ''bi-'' meaning "two" and ''strio'' meaning "stripe". This refers to the dorsolateral urtic ...

'' Kaderka, 2015 – Peru *''

Bonnetina ''Bonnetina'' is a genus of Mexican tarantulas that was first described by F. Vol in 2000. Morphology Before the era of genetics and molecular phylogeny, tarantulas were classified based on the presence or absence of physical traits and charac ...

'' Vol, 2000 – Mexico *''

Brachionopus ''Brachionopus'' is a genus of South African tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. It was transferred to the Theraphosidae from the Barychelidae in 1985. Species it contains five species, found in South Africa: ...

'' Pocock, 1897 – South Africa *''

Brachypelma ''Brachypelma'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). They may have bodies up to long with legs of similar or greater lengths. Some species have brightly colored legs, with red or orange marks and rings. The taxonomy ...

'' Simon, 1891 – Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala *'' Bumba'' Pérez-Miles, Bonaldo & Miglio, 2014 – Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador *''

Cardiopelma ''Cardiopelma'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae. It was first described in 1999 by Vol. , it contains only one species, ''Cardiopelma mascatum'', known only from Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca. Description ''Cardiopelma masca ...

'' Vol, 1999 – Unknown *''

Caribena ''Caribena'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in the Antilles. The two species accepted were formerly placed in ''Avicularia''. Apart from a different distribution – ''Avicularia'' species are found in mai ...

'' Fukushima & Bertani, 2017 – Cuba *''

Catanduba ''Catanduba'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by F. U. Yamamoto, S. M. Lucas & Antônio Domingos Brescovit in 2012. Species it contains seven species, all found in Brazil: *'' Catanduba araguaia'' Yamamoto, Lucas ...

'' Yamamoto, Lucas & Brescovit, 2012 – Brazil *'' Catumiri'' Guadanucci, 2004 – South America *''

Ceratogyrus ''Ceratogyrus'' is a genus of tarantulas found in southern Africa. They are commonly called horned baboons for the foveal horn found on the peltidium in some species. Diagnosis They are readily distinguished from other African theraphosid ...

'' Pocock, 1897 – Africa *'' Chaetopelma'' Ausserer, 1871 – Asia, Greece, Africa *''

Chilobrachys ''Chilobrachys'' is a genus of Asian tarantulas that was first described by Ferdinand Anton Franz Karsch in 1892. They are found in India, Myanmar, Malaysia, China, Vietnam, Thailand and Sri Lanka. They are usually medium or large-sized, and th ...

'' Karsch, 1892 – Asia *'' Chromatopelma'' Schmidt, 1995 – Venezuela *''

Citharacanthus ''Citharacanthus'' is a genus of New World tarantulas. They are found in Central America and the Antilles. Species , the World Spider Catalog accepted the following 7 species: *'' Citharacanthus alayoni'' Rudloff, 1995 – Cuba *'' Citharacant ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – Cuba, Central America, Mexico *'' Citharognathus'' Pocock, 1895 – Indonesia *'' Clavopelma'' Chamberlin, 1940 – Mexico *''

Coremiocnemis ''Coremiocnemis'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. They are named after the greek words korema, which means broom or brush, and kemis, meaning shin guard. Being a reference to the hirsute character ...

'' Simon, 1892 – Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia *'' Cotztetlana'' Mendoza, 2012 – Mexico *''

Crassicrus ''Crassicrus'' is a genus of Central and South American tarantulas that was first described by S. B. Reichling & R. C. West in 1996. Species it contains six species, found in Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico: *'' Crassicrus bidxigui'' Candia-Ram� ...

'' Reichling & West, 1996 – Mexico, Belize *'' Cubanana'' Ortiz, 2008 – Cuba *''

Cyclosternum ''Cyclosternum'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. Species it contains twelve species, found in South America, Costa Rica, and Mexico: *'' Cyclosternum darienense'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 2022 = Panama ...

'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America, Mexico, Costa Rica *''

Cymbiapophysa ''Cymbiapophysa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae, first described by Pocock, in 1903, as of 2022 it contains 4 species. The tarantulas of this genus inhabit Central America. Males of this genus can be distinguished by the pre ...

'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 *''

Cyriocosmus ''Cyriocosmus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. They are small to medium spiders, with a bicolored or one same color carapace. Diagnosis It differs from all other tarantulas by the paraembolic ...

'' Simon, 1903 – South America, Trinidad and Tobago *''

Cyriopagopus ''Cyriopagopus'' is a genus of southeast Asian tarantulas found from Myanmar to the Philippines. , the genus includes species formerly placed in ''Haplopelma''. It was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1887. Description The species form ...

'' Simon, 1887 – Asia *'' Cyrtogrammomma"Pocock, 1895 - Guyana and Brazil *''

Cyrtopholis ''Cyrtopholis'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. Diagnosis This genus can be distinguished by being found in the Caribbean, and by the presence of claviform stridulatory hairs on the trochanter ...

'' Simon, 1892 – Caribbean *'' Davus'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1892 – Central America, Mexico *''

Dolichothele ''Dolichothele'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae found in Brazil and Bolivia. It was first described in 1923 by Mello-Leitão. Diagnosis It owns a labium, which has less than 10 cuspules, also owning undivided tarsal scop ...

'' Mello-Leitão, 1923 – Brazil, Bolivia *''

Encyocratella ''Encyocratella'' is a monotypic genus of Tanzanian tarantulas (family Theraphosidae) containing the single species, ''Encyocratella olivacea'', also known as the Tanzanian black and olive baboon spider. It was first described by Embrik Strand i ...

'' Strand, 1907 – Tanzania *''

Encyocrates ''Encyocrates'' is a monotypic genus of African tarantulas found on Madagascar containing the single species, ''Encyocrates raffrayi''. The female was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892, and the male was described by Lucien Berland in ...

'' Simon, 1892 – Madagascar *'' Ephebopus'' Simon, 1892 – Suriname, Brazil *''

Euathlus ''Euathlus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875. These spiders are medium sized and are usually found in high elevations in the Andes. It is a senior synonym of ''Paraphysa'', and was former ...

'' Ausserer, 1875 – Chile, Argentina *''

Eucratoscelus ''Eucratoscelus'' is a genus of East African tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1898. it contains two species, found in Tanzania and Kenya: '' E. constrictus'' and '' E. pachypus''. See also * List of Theraphosidae ...

'' Pocock, 1898 – Kenya, Tanzania *'' Eumenophorus'' Pocock, 1897 – Sierra Leone *''

Eupalaestrus ''Eupalaestrus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. Species it contains six species, found in Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil: *'' Eupalaestrus campestratus'' (Simon, 1891 ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – South America *''

Euphrictus ''Euphrictus'' is a genus of tarantula (family Theraphosidae) which is found in Africa. It is part of the subfamily Selenogyrinae. Taxonomy The genus ''Euphrictus'' was erected by A.S. Hirst in 1908 for the species '' Euphrictus spinosus'', des ...

'' Hirst, 1908 – Cameroon, Congo *'' Euthycaelus'' Simon, 1889 – Colombia, Venezuela *''

Grammostola ''Grammostola'' is a genus of South American Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described in text by Eugène Simon, Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. These medium- to large-sized spiders are native to tropical South America, and are usually brown ...

'' Simon, 1892 – South America *''

Guyruita ''Guyruita'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by J. P. L. Guadanucci in 2007. Species it contains six species, found in Venezuela and Brazil: *'' Guyruita atlantica'' Guadanucci, Lucas, Indicatti & Yamamoto, 2007 ...

'' Guadanucci, Lucas, Indicatti & Yamamoto, 2007 – Brazil, Venezuela *''

Hapalopus ''Hapalopus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875. Diagnosis They own a ring like keel on the palpal bulb, the tibial apophysis with convergent branches and a spermatheca having a membrane like base. Th ...

'' Ausserer, 1875 – South America, Panama *''

Hapalotremus ''Hapalotremus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas in the Theraphosinae subfamily that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. They have red or white Type III urticating (relatively long, thin) hairs, up to , with a fine point ...

'' Simon, 1903 – Bolivia, Peru, Argentina *'' Haploclastus'' Simon, 1892 – India *''

Haplocosmia ''Haplocosmia'' is a genus of Asian tarantulas that was first described by Günter E. W. Schmidt & V. von Wirth in 1996. it contains three species, found in Nepal, Himalayas and Tibet: '' H. himalayana,'' '' H. nepalensis'' and '' H. sherwoodae' ...

'' Schmidt & von Wirth, 1996 – Nepal *''

Harpactira ''Harpactira'' is a genus of African tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. Species it contains fifteen species, found in Namibia and South Africa: *'' Harpactira atra'' (Latreille, 1832) ( type) – South Africa *'' Harp ...

'' Ausserer, 1871 – South Africa, Namibia *''

Harpactirella ''Harpactirella'' is a genus of African tarantulas that was first described by William Frederick Purcell in 1902. Originally placed with the brushed trapdoor spiders, it was transferred to the tarantulas in 1985. It is considered a senior synony ...

'' Purcell, 1902 – South Africa, Morocco *''

'' Simon, 1903 – Mexico *'' Heterophrictus'' Pocock, 1900 – India *''

Heteroscodra ''Heteroscodra'' is a genus of Central African tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1900. Like many Old World tarantulas, they have a strong venom, and can inflict a painful bite. it contains two species, found in Afri ...

'' Pocock, 1900 – Cameroon, Gabon, Congo *''

Heterothele ''Heterothele'' is a genus of South American and African tarantulas that was first described by Ferdinand Anton Franz Karsch in 1879. Species it contains ten species, found in Africa and Argentina: *'' Heterothele affinis'' Laurent, 1946 – C ...

'' Karsch, 1879 – Africa, Argentina *''

Holothele ''Holothele'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Ferdinand Anton Franz Karsch in 1879. Originally placed with the curtain-web spiders, it was transferred to the tarantulas in 1980. Diagnosis They can be distinguished by the ...

'' Karsch, 1879 – Caribbean, South America *''

Homoeomma ''Homoeomma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. It is considered a senior synonym of ''Calopelma'', ''Butantania'', and of ''Cyclothoracoides''. These tarantulas are usually quite small an ...

'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America *'' Hysterocrates'' Simon, 1892 – Africa *''

Idiothele ''Idiothele'' is a genus of African tarantulas that was first described by J. Hewitt in 1919. it contains two species, both found in southern Africa: '' I. mira'' and '' I. nigrofulva''. See also * List of Theraphosidae species This page list ...

'' Hewitt, 1919 – South Africa *''

Iridopelma ''Iridopelma'' is a genus of Brazilian tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. Diagnosis Males of this genus can be distinguished by the tibial spurs on leg 1 and 2, while females differ from most other genera by the ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – Brazil *''

Ischnocolus ''Ischnocolus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. This tarantula genus includes some of the smallest in the family. Diagnosis Males of this genus can be distinguished by the palpal bulb morphology, wh ...

'' Ausserer, 1871 – Africa, Asia, Brazil, Europe *'' Kankuamo'' Perafán, Galvis & Pérez-Miles, 2016 *''

Kochiana ''Kochiana'' is a monotypic genus of Brazilian tarantulas containing the single species, ''Kochiana brunnipes'' or the dwarf pink leg. It was first described by C. L. Koch in 1841 under the name "Mygale brunnipes", and was transferred to its own ...

'' Fukushima, Nagahama & Bertani, 2008 – Brazil *''

Lampropelma ''Lampropelma'' is a genus of Indonesian tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. it contains two species, found in Indonesia. Diagnosis They can be distinguished from ''Phormingochilus'' and ''Omothymus'' though t ...

'' Simon, 1892 – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore *''

Lasiodora ''Lasiodora'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch in 1850. They are often very large; body lengths of up to , including the legs, are not unusual. They are found in South America, including the countries ...

'' C. L. Koch, 1850 – South America, Costa Rica *''

Lasiodorides ''Lasiodorides'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Günter E. W. Schmidt & B. Bischoff in 1997. Species it contains two species, found in Peru and Ecuador: *'' Lasiodorides polycuspulatus'' Schmidt & Bischoff, ...

'' Schmidt & Bischoff, 1997 – Ecuador, Peru *'' Longilyra'' Gabriel, 2014 – El Salvador *''

Loxomphalia ''Loxomphalia'' is a monotypic genus of tarantulas containing the single species, ''Loxomphalia rubida''. It was first described from a female found by Eugène Louis Simon in 1889, and it has only been found on the Zanzibar Archipelago. See als ...

'' Simon, 1889 – Tanzania *'' Loxoptygus'' Simon, 1903 – Ethiopia *''

Lyrognathus ''Lyrognathus'' is a genus of Asian tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1895. Species it contains seven species, all found in Asia: *'' Lyrognathus achilles'' West & Nunn, 2010 – Borneo *'' Lyrognathus crotalus'' P ...

'' Pocock, 1895 – Indonesia, India, Malaysia *'' Magnacarina'' Mendoza, Locht, Kaderka, Medina & Pérez-Miles, 2016 – Mexico *'' Mascaraneus'' Gallon, 2005 – Mauritius *''

Megaphobema ''Megaphobema'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. They look similar to members of '' Pamphobeteus'' except for its legs; the third and fourth pairs of legs are much larger and stronger than the fir ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador *''

Melognathus ''Melognathus'' is a monotypic genus of southeast Asian tarantulas containing the single species, ''Melognathus dromeus''. It was erected in 1917 for a holotype collected from a ship that visited southeast Asia. In 1985, the species was moved to ' ...

'' Chamberlin, 1917 *''

Metriopelma ''Metriopelma'' is a monotypic taxon, monotypic genus of Mexican Theraphosidae, tarantulas containing the single species, ''Metriopelma breyeri''. It was first described by (1826–1909) in 1878, and originally found by Eugenio Dugès (1834–189 ...

'' Becker, 1878 – Mexico *'' Miaschistopus'' Pocock, 1897 – Venezuela *''

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 ...

'' Pocock, 1897 – Yemen, Madagascar *'' Munduruku'' Miglio, Bonaldo & Pérez-Miles, 2013 *'' Murphyarachne'' Sherwood & Gabriel, 2022 - Peru *''

Mygalarachne ''Mygalarachne'' is a monotypic genus of Honduran tarantulas containing the single species, ''Mygalarachne brevipes''. It was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871, and is found in Honduras. See also * List of Theraphosidae species This ...

'' Ausserer, 1871 – Honduras *''

Myostola ''Myostola'' is a spider genus in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), with the sole species ''Myostola occidentalis'', found in Gabon and Cameroon. Description ''Myostola occidentalis'' is basically dark brown, with pale rose-coloured hairs o ...

'' Simon, 1903 – Gabon, Cameroon *''

Neischnocolus ''Neischnocolus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae. It was first described in 1925 by Petrunkevitch. The genus ''Ami'' was separately described in 2008, but was later discovered to be a junior synonym of ''Neischnocolus''. Speci ...

'' Petrunkevitch, 1925 – Panama *''

Neoheterophrictus ''Neoheterophrictus'' is a genus of tarantula in the family Theraphosidae. It comprises seven species, all found in India. Characteristics ''Neoheterophrictus'' is similar to ''Heterophrictus'' and ''Plesiophrictus'', however the females diff ...

'' Siliwal & Raven, 2012 – India *'' Neoholothele'' Guadanucci & Weinmann, 2015 – Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela *''

Neostenotarsus ''Neostenotarsus'' is a genus of theraphosid spider, in the Theraphosinae subfamily. It is native to French Guiana. It is monotypic, the only species being ''Neostenotarsus scissistylus''.Nesiergus ''Nesiergus'' is a genus of Seychelloise tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1903. it contains three species, found on the Seychelles: '' N. gardineri'', '' N. halophilus'', and '' N. insulanus''. See also * List of T ...

'' Simon, 1903 – Seychelles *''

Nesipelma ''Nesipelma'' is a genus of tarantulas containing the two species, ''Nesipelma insulare'' and ''Nesipelma medium'' . It was first described by Günter E. W. Schmidt & F. Kovařík in 1996, and is found in Nevis and on the Lesser Antilles. See ...

'' Schmidt & Kovařík, 1996 – St. Kitts and Nevis *'' Nhandu'' Lucas, 1983 – Brazil, Paraguay *''

Omothymus ''Omothymus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae, found in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Description This genus can be distinguished from others thanks to their reproductive organs. They can be distinguished from ''Phormi ...

'' Thorell, 1891 – Malaysia *''

Ornithoctonus ''Ornithoctonus'' is a genus of Southeast Asian tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1892. it contains three species, found in Thailand and Myanmar: '' O. andersoni'', '' O. aureotibialis'', and '' O. costalis''. See a ...

'' Pocock, 1892 – Myanmar, Thailand *''

Orphnaecus ''Orphnaecus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. They have close to fifty lanceolate stridulatory spines on the chelicerae, known as "strikers". The male embolus has a single strong retrolateral ke ...

'' Simon, 1892 – Papua New Guinea, Philippines *''

Ozopactus ''Ozopactus'' is a monotypic genus of Venezuelan tarantulas containing the single species, ''Ozopactus ernsti''. It was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1889, and is found in Venezuela. They have an enlarged sternum and an enlarged maxi ...

'' Simon, 1889 – Venezuela *'' Pachistopelma'' Pocock, 1901 – Brazil *''

Pamphobeteus ''Pamphobeteus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. It includes some of the largest spiders in the world. They are found in South America, including the countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Brazil ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – South America, Panama *''

Pelinobius ''Pelinobius'' or the king baboon is a monotypic genus of east African tarantulas containing the single species, ''Pelinobius muticus''. It was first described by Ferdinand Anton Franz Karsch in 1885, and is found in Tanzania and Kenya. Descript ...

'' Karsch, 1885 – Kenya, Tanzania *''

Phlogiellus ''Phlogiellus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. They are found throughout Asia and Papua New Guinea, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, China, Myanmar, Malaysia, Borneo, Th ...

'' Pocock, 1897 – Asia, Papua New Guinea *''

Phoneyusa ''Phoneyusa'' is a genus of spiders belonging to the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). Taxonomy The genus was erected by Ferdinand Karsch in 1884, based on a spider from central Africa he regarded as in some ways similar to the South American ...

'' Karsch, 1884 – Africa *''

Phormictopus ''Phormictopus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina. Description ''Phormic ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – Cuba, Argentina, Brazil *''

Phormingochilus ''Phormingochilus'' is a genus of Indonesian tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1895. They are occasionally kept as exotic pets, and are known for moving in bursts of speed and being defensive when cornered. Diagnosi ...

'' Pocock, 1895 – Indonesia *'' Phrixotrichus'' Simon, 1889 – Chile, Argentina *''

Plesiopelma ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' Pocock, 1901 – South America *''

Plesiophrictus ''Plesiophrictus'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1899. Species it contains eight species, found in Sri Lanka, India, and Micronesia: *'' Plesiophrictus fabrei'' (Simon, 1892) – India *'' Plesioph ...

'' Pocock, 1899 – India, Micronesia, Sri Lanka *''

'' Simon, 1885 – Sri Lanka, India *''

Proshapalopus ''Proshapalopus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Cândido Firmino de Mello-Leitão in 1923. Species it contains four species, found in Colombia and Brazil: *'' Proshapalopus amazonicus'' Bertani, 2001 – ...

'' Mello-Leitão, 1923 – Brazil, Colombia *'' Psalistops''Simon, 1889 - Colombia and Venezuela *''

Psalmopoeus Psalmopoeus is a genus of the family ''Theraphosidae'' containing various species of tarantulas. The genus is native to Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Belize, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guat ...

'' Pocock, 1895 – Trinidad, South America, Central America, Mexico *''

Psednocnemis ''Psednocnemis'' is a genus of Southeast Asian tarantulas that was first described by R. C. West, S. C. Nunn & Henry Roughton Hogg in 2012. Species it contains five species, found in Indonesia and Malaysia: *'' Psednocnemis brachyramosa'' (West ...

'' West, Nunn & Hogg, 2012 – Malaysia, Indonesia *''

Pseudhapalopus ''Pseudhapalopus'' is a monotypic genus of Bolivian tarantulas containing the single species, ''Pseudhapalopus aculeatus''. It was first described by Embrik Strand in 1907, and is found in Bolivia. See also * List of Theraphosidae species This ...

'' Strand, 1907 – South America, Trinidad *'' Pseudoclamoris'' Hüsser, 2018 – Colombia, Peru, Ecuador *'' Pseudoschizopelma''Smith, 1995 - Mexico *''

Pterinochilus ''Pterinochilus'' is a genus of baboon spiders that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. They are found all throughout Africa Species it contains ten species, all found in Africa: *'' Pterinochilus alluaudi'' Berland, 1914 � ...

'' Pocock, 1897 – Africa *'' Pterinopelma'' Pocock, 1901 – Brazil *'' Reichlingia'' Rudloff, 2001 – Belize *''

Reversopelma ''Reversopelma'' is a monotypic genus of spider in the family Theraphosidae. It is Theraphosine and is native to Peru and Ecuador. The single species is ''Reversopelma petersi''. Description ''Reversopelma'' shows strong sexual dimorphism, the ...

'' Schmidt, 2001 – Ecuador or Peru *''

Sahydroaraneus ''Sahydroaraneus'' is a genus of spiders in 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" ...

'' Mirza & Sanap, 2014 – India *'' Sandinista'' Longhorn & Gabriel, 2019 *'' Schismatothele'' Karsch, 1879 – Venezuela, Colombia *''

Schizopelma ''Schizopelma'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Frederick Octavius Pickard-Cambridge in 1897. it contains two species, found in Central America and Mexico: '' S. bicarinatum'' and '' S. juxtantricola''. See also * List of Th ...

'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Mexico *'' Scopelobates'' Simon, 1903 – Dominican Republic *''

Selenocosmia ''Selenocosmia'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. The genus is found in China, New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, Vietnam, Philippines, India and Pakistan. They are ...

'' Ausserer, 1871 – Oceania, Asia *'' Selenogyrus'' Pocock, 1897 – Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone *'' Selenotholus'' Hogg, 1902 – Australia *''

Selenotypus The genus ''Selenotypus'' includes one of the largest of Australia's theraphosids. At present, the only recognised species within this genus is ''Selenotypus plumipes'', but this is expected to change, as it is becoming apparent that the genus h ...

'' Pocock, 1895 – Australia *''

Sericopelma ''Sericopelma'' is a genus of tarantula (family Theraphosidae), found in Central America from Nicaragua to Panama. The limits of the genus and its distribution have long been confused; it is closely related to the genus ''Aphonopelma''. ''Serico ...

'' Ausserer, 1875 – Central America, Brazil, Mexico *''

Sickius ''Sickius'' is a genus of tarantulas. It has a single species, ''Sickius longibulbi''. It is endemic to Brazil. Taxonomy The species ''S. longibulbi'' was described in 1948 by Benedict A. M. Soares and H.F. de A. Camargo, however Robert ...

'' Soares & Camargo, 1948 – Brazil *'' Sphaerobothria'' Karsch, 1879 – Costa Rica, Panama *'' Spinosatibiapalpus'' Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 *'' Stichoplastoris'' Rudloff, 1997 – El Salvador, Costa Rica, Panama *'' Stromatopelma'' Karsch, 1881 – Africa *''

Taksinus ''Taksinus'' is a genus of tarantula. The genus contains the Monotypic taxon, single species ''Taksinus bambus''. The tarantula specialises in living in the Culm (botany), culm of bamboo of the genus ''Gigantochloa''. It is found in the Mueang Ta ...

'' Songsangchote, Sippawat, Khaikaew & Chomphuphuang, 2022 - Thailand *'' Tapinauchenius'' Ausserer, 1871 – South America, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines *''

Theraphosa ''Theraphosa'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1870. The Theraphosa spiders are some of the largest known to science, and are usually called Pinkfoot Goliaths in english. it contains three s ...

'' Thorell, 1870 – South America *'' Thrigmopoeus'' Pocock, 1899 – India *'' Thrixopelma'' Schmidt, 1994 – Peru, Chile *''

Tliltocatl ''Tliltocatl'' is a genus of North American tarantulas that was split off from ''Brachypelma'' in 2020. They are also large burrowing tarantulas, but don't have the striking red leg markings of ''Brachypelma'' species. A female '' T. vagans'' can ...

'' - Mexico, Costa Rica, Guatemala *''

Tmesiphantes ''Tmesiphantes'' is a genus of Brazilian tarantulas in the subfamily Theraphosinae that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. The genera ''Magulla'' and ''Melloleitaoina'' were brought into synonymy in 2019. Species it contains ...

'' Simon, 1892 – Brazil *'' Trichognathella'' Gallon, 2004 – South Africa *'' Trichopelma'' Simon, 1888 – Caribbean, South America, Central America *'' Typhochlaena'' C. L. Koch, 1850 – Brazil *'' Umbyquyra'' Gargiulo, Brescovit & Lucas, 2018 – Bolivia, Brazil *''

Vitalius ''Vitalius'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by S. Lucas, P. I. da Silva Jr. & Rogério Bertani in 1993. Diagnosis They can be distinguished from other tarantulas by the lack of stridulating hairs on the prolater ...

'' Lucas, Silva & Bertani, 1993 – Brazil, Argentina *''

Xenesthis ''Xenesthis'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1891. it contains four species, found in Colombia and Venezuela, though it was previously considered to be found in Panama. Diagnosis There distinguish ...

'' Simon, 1891 – Panama, Venezuela, Colombia *'' Yanomamius'' Bertani & Almeida, 2021 – Brazil, Venezuela *'' Ybyrapora'' Fukushima & Bertani, 2017 – Brazil Former genera: *''Ami'' Pérez-Miles, 2008 → ''

'' *''Barropelma'' Chamberlin, 1940 → ''

'' *''

Eurypelmella ''Eurypelmella'' is a ''nomen dubium'' (doubtful name) for a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae. It has been regarded as a synonym for ''Schizopelma ''Schizopelma'' is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Frederick Octavi ...

'' Strand, 1907, ''

nomen dubium In binomial nomenclature, a ''nomen dubium'' (Latin for "doubtful name", plural ''nomina dubia'') is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application. Zoology In case of a ''nomen dubium'' it may be impossible to determine whether a s ...

'' *''Magulla'' Simon, 1892 → ''

'' *''Melloleitaoina'' Gerschman & Schiapelli, 1960 → ''

Fossil record

Although fossils of mygalomorph spiders date back to the

Triassic The Triassic ( ) is a geologic period and system which spans 50.6 million years from the end of the Permian Period 251.902 million years ago ( Mya), to the beginning of the Jurassic Period 201.36 Mya. The Triassic is the first and shortest period ...

, only two specimens have been found so far which can be convincingly assigned to the Theraphosidae. One is from

Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...

amber Amber is fossilized tree resin that has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times. Much valued from antiquity to the present as a gemstone, amber is made into a variety of decorative objects."Amber" (2004). In Ma ...

; the other is from

Chiapas Chiapas (; Tzotzil language, Tzotzil and Tzeltal language, Tzeltal: ''Chyapas'' ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Chiapas ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Chiapas), is one of the states that make up the Political divisions of Mexico, ...

(

)

. Both these ambers are quite young, being

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and means "less recen ...

in age or about 16 million years old.

References

External links

TarantulaForum.com
*
Tarantulas US Forum

Word of the Day: Tarantula and Tarantella
etymology and folklore

* ttp://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog/THERAPHOSIDAE.html Listing of all currently named Theraphosidae
American Tarantula Society Headquarters

Amazing Tarantulas
*
Watch Tarantula (Theraphosidae) video clips from the BBC archive on Wildlife Finder

Theraphosidae Belgium, everything about bird eaters

{{Authority control Theraphosidae, Extant Miocene first appearances