The Goliath birdeater belongs to the tarantula family Theraphosidae. Found in northern South America, it is the largest spider in the world by mass and body length, and second to the giant huntsman spider by leg span. It is also called the Goliath tarantula or Goliath bird-eating spider; the practice of calling theraphosids "bird-eating" derives from an early 18th-century copper engraving by Maria Sibylla Merian that shows one eating a hummingbird. Despite the spider's name, it rarely preys on birds.
Poecilotheria metallica, also known as the peacock tarantula, is an Old World species of tarantula. It is the only blue species of the genus Poecilotheria. Like others in its genus it exhibits an intricate fractal-like pattern on the abdomen. The species' natural habitat is deciduous forest in Andhra Pradesh, in central southern India. It has been classified as Critically endangered by the IUCN.
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. As of August 2022, 1,040 species have been identified, with 156 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although many other members of the same infraorder (Mygalomorphae) 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 species kept as pets have setae known as urticating hairs that can cause irritation to the skin, and in extreme cases, cause damage to the eyes.
Psalmopoeus cambridgei, the Trinidad chevron tarantula, is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, endemic to Trinidad. Its venom is the source of psalmotoxin and vanillotoxin which are classified as inhibitor cystine knot proteins. Psalmotoxin may be of therapeutic use in patients with a stroke.
Ephebopus cyanognathus, known as the blue fang tarantula, is a species of tarantula. It is endemic to French Guiana. It was first described by Rick C. West and Samuel D Marshall in 2000, and is somewhat commonly kept as pets. As it common name may suggest, they have magnificent blue chelicerae, cyano meaning blue and gnathus meaning jaw. This tarantula is a burrowing spider, though spiderlings of this species have been observed to be semi-arboreal.
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 they can stridulate by using small spines present on the chelicerae.
Cardiopelma is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae. It was first described in 1999 by Vol. As of 2017, it contains only one species, Cardiopelma mascatum, known only from Mexico, in the state of Oaxaca.
Encyocratella is a monotypic genus of Tanzanian tarantulas containing the single species, Encyocratella olivacea, also known as the Tanzanian black and olive baboon spider. It was first described by Embrik Strand in 1907, and is found in Tanzania.
Caribena laeta, otherwise known as the Puerto Rican pink toe tarantula, 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. It was first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1842 under the name Mygale laeta.
Chilobrachys dyscolus is a species of spider in the tarantula family (Theraphosidae) native to Vietnam. It was first described by Eugène Simon in 1886 as Phrictus dyscolus. It is known as the blue Vietnam tarantula, Asian blue smokey tarantula, Asian smokey earth tiger tarantula or Burma chocolate brown tarantula.
Thrixopelma ockerti, commonly known as the Peruvian Flame Rump or Flame Rump Tree Spider, is a species of tarantula and the type species of the genus Thrixopelma. It is endemic to Peru and was first described by Gunter Schmidt in 1994. It is named ockerti after the collector Roland Ockert.
Phormictopus auratus, commonly known as the Cuban bronze tarantula, is a species of tarantula endemic to Cuba. It is found in the provinces of Camagüey, Las Tunas and Holguín. It was first described by David Ortiz and Rogério Bertani in 2005, and was named after golden hairs found in this species, auratus meaning golden in latin.
Ceratogyrus marshalli, also known as Straight Horned Baboon or Great Horned Baboon Tarantula, is a species of tarantula from the genus Ceratogyrus. It is found in Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897, as half of the Ceratogyrus genus, they own a impressive horn in the carapace.
Ornithoctonus aureotibialis is a tarantula species in the Ornithoctonus genus, it was first described by Volker von Wirth and Boris F. Striffler in 2005. It is named for the Latin, aureus being "golden" and tibia. Because of the gold or orange coloured line of hair in the tibiae of the legs in subadult and adult females and subadult males. Its common name is Thailand Golden Fringe, as the name may suggest it is found in Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia. It is sometimes kept as a pet, and are captive bred.
Monocentropus balfouri is a tarantula in the Monocentropus genus, it was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897. This tarantula is also called Socotra Island Blue Baboon Tarantula, usually shortened to Blue Baboon Tarantula. This spider is named after its collector Isaac Bayley Balfour. It is found in Socotra Island, hence the common name. This tarantula is terrestrial and an opportunistic burrower. Like many tarantulas, M. balfouri can be kept as a pet, although it is not a beginner species.
Phrixotrichus scrofa is a tarantula spider, commonly known as the Chilean copper, Chilean pink burst or Chilean violet tarantula. It was first described by Juan Ignacio Molina in 1782. Its synonyms include Phrixotrichus auratus, Paraphysa scrofa, and possibly Phrixotrichus chilensis. It is native to Chile and Argentina, inhabiting mainly arid forests, and is kept as a pet somewhat commonly.
Eucratoscelus pachypus also known as the Tanzania stout leg baboon tarantula or the stout leg tarantula, was first described by Gunter Schmidt and Volker von Wirth in 1990. It is found in Tanzania, hailing from arid parts, and is an obligate burrower.
Chilobrachys huahini also known as the Asian fawn, Hauhini bird spider or Hauhini birdeater tarantula is a tarantula which was first described in 1996 by Gunter Schmidt and Siegfried Huber. It is named after Hua Hin, Thailand as it is found there.
Lyrognathus giannisposatoi sometimes called the Sumatran stout leg tarantula is a tarantula which can be found in Mesuji Regency, Sumatra, Indonesia. It was first described by Steven C. Nunn, Rick C. West in 2013, and is named after Gianni Sposato whom helped with Selenocosmia material, and was of great help to the authors.
Anqasha is a monotypic genus of Peruvian tarantulas, containing one species, Anqasha picta, first described by Danniella Sherwood and Ray Gabriel in 2022. The type species was initially described under the name Hapalopus pictus in 1903 by Reginald Innes Pocock, but was later moved to the Homoeomma genus, until finally becoming Anqasha. Its name comes from the Quechuan word for blue, "anqash".
