Idiothele mira

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Idiothele mira
Imirb.jpg
Mature female
Imirf.jpg
Tarsus and metatarsus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Theraphosidae
Genus: Idiothele
Species:
I. mira
Binomial name
Idiothele mira
Gallon, 2010

Idiothele mira, [1] also known as the blue-foot baboon or the trap-door tarantula, is a species of fossorial tarantula endemic to South Africa and is popularized by hobbyists[ citation needed ] for the striking blue coloration on the dorsal (upper) side of the tarsi and metatarsi on each leg. [2] Furthermore, the species is well known for belonging to one of two described genera of theraphosids that build a trapdoor, the other being Typhochlaena . [3] Its species epithet comes from the Latin for "wonderful", referring to the sky-blue coloration on the tarsi and metatarsi. This species is known from Ndumo and Tembe Elephant Game Reserves, South Africa.< [1]

Contents

Description

Idiothele mira is a small species, mature females reaching 4.5 inches in diagonal leg span and is very reclusive, rarely leaving its burrow, usually only for mating purposes. This species is easily distinguished by its bright blue "toes" or tarsi and metatarsi. This readily distinguishes it from Idiothele nigrofulva . [1] Recently moulted tarantulas of this species lack their namesake blue coloration, which develops soon after their molt. This coloration is caused by a farinaceous substance on their tarsi, instead of being caused by their setae. [1] This beautiful coloration paired with a black and golden carapace, gold radiating within black in a "starburst" pattern, the abdomen is also golden with black speckling. Males have a smaller body size when compared to the leg span, and reach 3.5 inches on average.

Ecology

This species construct dense silk linked tunnels beneath rocks or logs in lightly wooded habitats. The entrance to their burrow is usually sealed with a thin trapdoor made out of silk. Males mature in January and females produce a single hammock like egg sac which is suspended inside its tunnel. [1] The eggsac of Idiothele mira commonly contains 25-45 spiderlings.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Gallon, Richard C. (2010-07-01). "On some Southern African Harpactirinae, with notes on the eumenophorines Pelinobius muticus Karsch, 1885 and Monocentropella Strand, 1907 (Araneae, Theraphosidae)". Arachnology. 15 (2): 29–48. doi:10.13156/arac.2010.15.2.29. ISSN   2050-9928. S2CID   85629192.
  2. Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman (20 February 2014). Field Guide to South African Spiders (EPDF). LAPA Uitgewers. p. 413. ISBN   978-0-7993-6910-6.
  3. Bertani, Rogério (2012-10-23). "Revision, cladistic analysis and biogeography of Typhochlaena C. L. Koch, 1850, Pachistopelma Pocock, 1901 and Iridopelma Pocock, 1901 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae)". ZooKeys (230): 1–94. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.230.3500 . ISSN   1313-2989. PMC   3494022 . PMID   23166476.