Theraphosids (Tarantulas)



Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and very large arachnids belonging to the Theraphosidae family of spiders, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. This article only describes members of Theraphosidae, although some other members of the same suborder are commonly referred to as "tarantulas". Most species of tarantulas are not dangerous to humans, and some species have become popular in the exotic pet trade.

Care Sheets

 * A. avicularia (Common Pink Toe Tarantula)
 * B. smithi (Mexican Red Knee Tarantula)
 * G. rosea (Chilean Rosehair Tarantula)
 * T. apophysis (Pinkfooted Goliath Tarantula)

Habits
Some genera of tarantulas hunt prey primarily in trees; others hunt on or near the ground. All tarantulas can produce silk – while arboreal species will typically reside in a silken "tube tent", terrestrial species will line their burrows with silk to stabilize the burrow wall and facilitate climbing up and down. Tarantulas mainly eat insects and other arthropods, using ambush as their primary method of prey capture. The biggest tarantulas can kill animals as large as lizards, mice, birds and small snakes.

Sexing


Some tarantula species exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism. Males tend to be smaller (especially their abdomens, which can appear quite narrow) and may be dull in color when compared to their female counterparts, as in the species Haplopelma lividum. Mature male tarantulas also may have tibial hooks on their front legs, which are used to restrain the female's fangs during copulation.

A juvenile male's sex can be determined by looking at a cast exuvium for exiandrous fusillae or spermathecae. Females possess spermathecae except for the species Sickius longibulbi and Encyocratella olivacea. Ventral sexing is difficult, but, if done correctly, it can be relatively reliable. Males have much shorter lifespans than females because they die relatively soon after maturing. Few live long enough for a post-ultimate moult. It is unlikely that it happens much in natural habitats because they are vulnerable to predation, but it has happened in captivity if rarely. Most males do not live through this moult as they tend to get their emboli, mature male sexual organs on pedipalps, stuck in the moult. Most tarantula fanciers regard females as more desirable as pets due to their much longer lifespan. Wild caught tarantulas are often mature males because they wander out in the open and are more likely to be caught.

Genera
This list is extensive for the purpose of completeness, not all genera listed are available in the pet trade for collection. Many of these genera have not been extensively studied and placement of species within is subject to change.

This list is in alphabetical order divided into New World and Old World genera. It is not sorted by sub-family.

New world

 * Acanthopelma
 * Acanthoscurria
 * Aenigmarachne
 * Agnostopelma
 * Ami
 * Aphonopelma


 * Avicularia
 * Bonnetina
 * Brachypelma
 * Cardiopelma
 * Catumiri
 * Chromatopelma
 * Citharacanthus
 * Clavopelma
 * Crassicrus
 * Cubanana
 * Cyclosternum
 * Cyriocosmus
 * Cyrtopholis
 * Ephebopus
 * Euathlus
 * Eupalaestrus
 * Grammostola
 * Guyruita
 * Hapalopus
 * Hapalotremus
 * Hemiercus
 * Hemirrhagus
 * Holothele
 * Homoeomma
 * Iridopelma
 * Kochiana
 * Lasiodora
 * Lasiodorides
 * Magulla
 * Maraca
 * Megaphobema
 * Melloleitaoina
 * Metriopelma
 * Neostenotarsus
 * Nesipelma
 * Nhandu
 * Oligoxystre
 * Ozopactus
 * Pachistopelma
 * Pamphobeteus
 * Paraphysa
 * Phormictopus
 * Plesiopelma
 * Proshapalopus
 * Psalmopoeus
 * Pseudhapalopus
 * Reversopelma
 * Schismatothele
 * Schizopelma
 * Sericopelma
 * Sphaerobothria
 * Stichoplastoris
 * Tapinauchenius
 * Theraphosa
 * Thrixopelma
 * Tmesiphantes
 * Typhochlaena
 * Vitalius
 * Xenesthis

Old World

 * Anandandiella
 * Anoploscelus
 * Augacephalus
 * Bacillochilus
 * Batesiella
 * Brachionopus
 * Ceratogyrus
 * Chaetopelma
 * Chilobrachys
 * Citharognathus
 * Coremiocnemis
 * Cyriopagopus
 * Encyocratella
 * Encyocrates
 * Eucratoscelus
 * Eumenophorus
 * Euphrictus
 * Haploclastus
 * Haplocosmia
 * Haplopelma
 * Harpactira
 * Harpactirella
 * Heterophrictus
 * Heteroscodra
 * Heterothele
 * Hysterocrates
 * Idiothele
 * Ischnocolus
 * Lampropelma
 * Loxomphalia
 * Loxoptygus
 * Lyrognathus
 * Mascaraneus
 * Monocentropus
 * Myostola
 * Neoheterophrictus
 * Nesiergus
 * Ornithoctonus
 * Orphnaecus
 * Pelinobius
 * Phlogiellus
 * Phoneyusa
 * Phormingochilus
 * Plesiophrictus
 * Poecilotheria
 * Psednocnemis
 * Pterinochilus
 * Sahydroaraneus
 * Selenocosmia
 * Selenogyrus
 * Selenotypus
 * Stromatopelma
 * Thrigmopoeus