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Like all arthropods, the tarantula is an invertebrate that relies on an exoskeleton for muscular support. [5] Like other Arachnida, a tarantula's body comprises two main parts, the prosoma (or cephalothorax) and the opisthosoma (or abdomen). The prosoma and opisthosoma are connected by the pedicel, or pregenital somite.
- Theraphosidae, Thorell, 1869
- Arthropoda
tarantula, (family Theraphosidae), any of numerous hairy and generally large spider s found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and tropical America. Tarantulas are mygalomorphs (suborder Orthognatha), and thus they have jaws that move forward and down (rather than sideways and together, which is characteristic of araneomorphs [suborder ...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
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- Molting. Tarantulas periodically shed their external skeletons in a process called molting. In the process, they also replace internal organs, such as female genitalia and stomach lining, and even regrow lost appendages.
- Habitat. There are hundreds of tarantula species found in most of the world's tropical, subtropical, and arid regions. They vary in color and behavior according to their specific environments.
- Hunting. Tarantulas are slow and deliberate movers, but accomplished nocturnal predators. Insects are their main prey, but they also target bigger game, including frogs, toads, and mice.
- Natural Threats. Tarantulas have few natural enemies, but parasitic pepsis wasps are a formidable exception. Such a wasp will paralyze a tarantula with its sting and lay its eggs on the spider's body.
- Tarantulas are quite docile and rarely bite people. A tarantula bite to a human is often no worse than a bee sting in terms of toxicity, but it can vary by species.
- Tarantulas defend themselves by throwing needle-like hairs at their attackers. If a tarantula does feel threatened, it uses its hind legs to scrape barbed hairs (called urticating or stinging hairs) from its abdomen and flick them in the direction of the threat.
- Female tarantulas can live 30 years or longer in the wild. Female tarantulas are famously long-lived. In captivity, some species have been known to live for over 30 years.
- Tarantulas come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Colorful tarantulas that can be kept as pets include the Mexican red knee tarantula (Brachypelma smithi), the Chilean rose tarantula (Grammastola rosea), and the pink-toed tarantula (Aricularia avicularia).
Jun 19, 2022 · While the tarantula species that are good for beginners are not typically known to be aggressive, any tarantula can bite. Tarantulas have fangs and are venomous but their venom is not designed to hurt people. Despite this, some poeple may have an allergic reaction to the venom if they are bit and therfore be negatively affected more than others.
Tarantula Care. Your tarantula should be kept in a 5-10 gallon terrarium with a screened top. Your tarantula should have a clean substrate in the bottom of the terrarium, the depth of which will vary based on the species. You must also provide your tarantula with a location to easily hide, and a shallow water dish.
Size: 4.75 inches long; leg span: up to 11 inches. Weight: 1 to 3 ounces. Tarantulas move slowly on their eight hairy legs, but they are accomplished nocturnal predators. Insects are their main prey, but they also target bigger game, including frogs, toads, and mice. Tarantulas are burrowers and typically live in the ground.
