Avicularia is a genus of the family Theraphosidae containing various species of tarantulas. The genus is native to tropical Central and South America. Each species in the genus has very distinguishable pink foot pads.
Avicularia avicularia, sometimes called the pinktoe tarantula, is a species of tarantula native from Costa Rica to Brazil and the southern Caribbean. This species is sometimes called the Guyana pinktoe, common pinktoe, or South American pinktoe.
The Antilles pinktoe tarantula, also known as the Martinique red tree spider or the Martinique pinktoe is popular as a spider pet because of its docile character and unique coloration.
Cândido Firmino de Mello-Leitão was a Brazilian zoologist who is considered the founder of Arachnology in South America, publishing 198 papers on the taxonomy of Arachnida. He was also involved with education, writing high-school textbooks, and contributed to biogeography, with essays on the distribution of Arachnida in the South American continent.
Avicularia metallica is considered to be a doubtful name, and as of September 2018 was not accepted as a valid species by the World Spider Catalog.
The Aviculariinae are a subfamily of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). They can be distinguished from other theraphosids by a number of characters. Their legs have no or few spines on the underside of the tibial and metatarsal joints of the legs. The last two leg joints have brushes of hairs (scopulae) that extend sideways, particularly on the front legs, giving them a spoon-like (spatulate) appearance. Females have two completely separated spermathecae.
Avicularia purpurea, also called purple tree tarantula, Ecuadorian purple tarantula or Ecuador purple pinktoe, is a species of spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas).
Antillena is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). As of March 2017, the genus contained a single species, Antillena rickwesti, found in the Dominican Republic.
Caribena is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in the Antilles. The two species accepted as of March 2017 were formerly placed in Avicularia. Apart from a different distribution – Avicularia species are found in mainland South and Central America – Caribena is distinguished by having longer and thinner type II urticating hairs in a conspicuous patch on the upper surface of the abdomen. Males also have a differently shaped palpal bulb.
Ybyrapora is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in Brazil. Its species were formerly placed in the genus Avicularia.
Avicularia juruensis is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in South America. Avicularia urticans was brought into synonymy in 2017. It has been given the English name Amazonian pink toe spider. Under the synonym Avicularia urticans, it is also known as the Peruvian pinktoe tarantula. It is a large mygalomorph spider, with a maximum body length over 30 mm (1.2 in) and the longest fully extended leg about 60 mm (2.4 in). Like other species in the genus Avicularia, specimens under this name are sold as pets, although their identity has not been confirmed by taxonomic studies.
Avicularia variegata is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae found in Venezuela and Brazil. Previously described as Avicularia avicularia variegata, it is synonymous with Avicularia bicegoi.
Avicularia rufa is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae. Specimens from the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Rondônia have regularly been misidentified as Avicularia juruensis. One difference is the vivid yellow rings on the legs of A. rufa compared to the paler rings of A. juruensis.
Avicularia lynnae is a species of spiders in the family Theraphosidae, found in Ecuador and Peru. It was first described in 2017. The specific name refers to Lynn West, wife of mygalomorph expert Rick C. West.
Avicularia caei is a species of spiders in the family Theraphosidae found in Brazil. It was first described in 2017. The specific name honours Carlos Eduardo Gurgel Paiola, known as "Caê".
Avicularia hirschii is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Ecuador, Peru and Brazil.
Avicularia minatrix is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Venezuela and Brazil.
Avicularia taunayi is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae found in Brazil.
Avicularia glauca is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Panama. The species was first described by Eugène Simon in 1891. As of March 2017, only a single female preserved specimen is known. It appears to be closely related to Avicularia purpurea. Avicularia species are rare in southern Central America; further studies are in progress.
Caribena laeta is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Cuba, the last dubiously according to Caroline Fukushima and Rogério Bertani in 2017.
