''Tliltocatl albopilosus'' (previously ''Brachypelma albopilosum'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

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

, also known as the curlyhair tarantula. The species' native range is

Nicaragua Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...

and

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

. They are largely terrestrial, opportunistically burrowing

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. This tarantula is covered in long bristles that have a characteristic curl to them giving them a unique look, which is why they are nick-named "curly-haired" tarantulas.

Description

The curlyhair tarantula is a plump-bodied spider, covered with dark brown to black bristles that start light in coloration as a juvenile and darken as the tarantula ages. It has a golden-bronze sheen due to longer gold bristles that cover the whole body, which are particularly dense on the hind legs. In captivity both male and female specimens have grown to have a leg span of just over 6 inches, however, males live a shorter life at only 5 years in captivity opposed to females reportedly living up to 20 years. Males are often a lighter bronze color than females.

Taxonomy

The species was first described by Carlos Valerio in 1980, as ''Brachypelma "albopilosa"''. However, this genus name is neuter, so the species name was later corrected to ''albopilosum''. As of November 2019, the genus ''Brachypelma'' was split into ''Brachypelma'' and ''Tliltocatl'', with the curlyhair tarantula being a part of the latter. The genus name ''Tliltocatl'' is masculine.

Range and habitat

''Tliltocatl albopilosus'' is native to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. A burrowing species, the curlyhair tarantula is found in tropical scrubland, either around the base of large trees, near rivers, or in patches of cleared rain forest.

Biology

Receptive females will allow a male to mate, usually during the rainy season, resulting in the making of an egg sac and the laying of 300 to 500 eggs several weeks later. The egg sac is incubated for about seven to eight weeks at 24 to 27 degrees Celsius, after which pale-colored young emerge and cluster together. The spiderlings develop quickly, molting again over the next couple of weeks, by which time they disperse to live independent lives. Unreceptive females are likely to be aggressive towards approaching males and may try to kill and eat them. Primarily a nocturnal, opportunistic ambusher, the curlyhair tarantula preys on insects and small vertebrates. An area on the end of each leg is sensitive to smell, taste and vibration, and is used to detect prey. The tarantula holds its prey with its pedipalps (front limbs) and injects it with venom delivered via two hollow fangs. This venom has a double purpose, paralysing the prey, as well as beginning digestion. Once the venom has acted the tarantula is able to suck up the proteins and fats of its prey, leaving just a small ball of undigested body parts. This usually docile tarantula will kick hairs off the abdomen with its hind legs when threatened, which cause blindness if they hit the eyes of a predator and can also cause a rash on the skin.

Conservation

The largest threat to the curlyhair tarantula is now habitat loss. Once captured in large numbers for the international pet trade, the curlyhair tarantula is now bred in captivity worldwide and relatively few are caught in the wild. Listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the curlyhair tarantula can now be traded internationally only according to quotas and with trade permits.

As pets

''T. albopilosus'' is frequently kept and bred in captivity. They are highly adaptable to humidity and temperature changes and they feed readily on commercially available

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

s, superworms, and

cockroach Cockroaches (or roaches) are a paraphyletic group of insects belonging to Blattodea, containing all members of the group except termites. About 30 cockroach species out of 4,600 are associated with human habitats. Some species are well-known as ...

es. They are typically docile. Females live potentially between 8-25 years of age and Males roughly 4-5 years.

Gallery

File:Brachypelma albopilosum.JPG, An adult File:Balbo.jpg, A juvenile File:T. albopilosum Nicaragua.jpg, Young female, Nicaragua File:T. albopilosum Nicaraguan.jpg, Nicaraguan specimen

References

External links

* – photographs taken in the wild
Brachypelma Albopilosum , Honduran Curly Hair Care and guide
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q86824629, from2=Q139105 Theraphosidae Spiders of Central America Spiders described in 1980