The spider originally bearing the name "tarantula" was Lycosa tarantula, a species of a large wolf-spider from Southern Europe, which took its name from Taranto, a town in Apulia, Italy. The term "tarantula" subsequently was applied to almost any large, unfamiliar species of ground-dwelling spider. When theraphosids were encountered in the Americas, they were named "tarantulas", causing usage of the term to shift to the tropical spiders, despite the fact they are not closely related to wolf spiders.
Although most spiders live for at most two years, tarantulas can live up to 25 years in captivity. In fact female tarantulas have been known to reach 30 to 40 years of age, and to have survived on water alone for up to 2 years.
Tarantulas can take up to 10 years to reach adulthood.
The South American Goliath bird-eater tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) is the largest spider in the world with a 10-inch or more leg span, a body length of up to 11.9 cm (4.7 in) and can weigh up to 175 g (6.2 oz).
Tarantulas do not spin webs but hunt their prey on foot, paralyzing it with venom.
The prey generally consists of insects, beetles and grasshoppers, though large varieties may also eat lizards, snakes, frogs, mice, bats or small birds.
Some tarantulas are known for keeping small frogs as pets — the frogs eat insects that prey upon tarantula eggs.
Although they do not spin webs, tarantulas produce silk which they use to make shelters like tube tents in trees, to line burrows if they live on the ground, and to wrap up prey before they eat it.
Despite its fearsome appearance, a tarantula's bite is no worse than a bee sting. There isn’t a single reported case of a person dying from a Tarantula bite.
The hysterical illness known as tarantism was wrongly thought to be caused by a tarantula's bite. In the Middle Ages, dancing was the cure, hence the dance named tarantella.
Tarantulas' predators are normally big snakes or creatures such as the Tarantula Eating Wasp.
Source Daily Express
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| Brachypelma klaasi, a tarantula endemic to Mexico. Pixiebay |
Although most spiders live for at most two years, tarantulas can live up to 25 years in captivity. In fact female tarantulas have been known to reach 30 to 40 years of age, and to have survived on water alone for up to 2 years.
Tarantulas can take up to 10 years to reach adulthood.
The South American Goliath bird-eater tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) is the largest spider in the world with a 10-inch or more leg span, a body length of up to 11.9 cm (4.7 in) and can weigh up to 175 g (6.2 oz).
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| The Goliath birdeater found in South America. By Sheri (Bellatrix on Flickr) - |
Tarantulas do not spin webs but hunt their prey on foot, paralyzing it with venom.
The prey generally consists of insects, beetles and grasshoppers, though large varieties may also eat lizards, snakes, frogs, mice, bats or small birds.
Some tarantulas are known for keeping small frogs as pets — the frogs eat insects that prey upon tarantula eggs.
Although they do not spin webs, tarantulas produce silk which they use to make shelters like tube tents in trees, to line burrows if they live on the ground, and to wrap up prey before they eat it.
Despite its fearsome appearance, a tarantula's bite is no worse than a bee sting. There isn’t a single reported case of a person dying from a Tarantula bite.
The hysterical illness known as tarantism was wrongly thought to be caused by a tarantula's bite. In the Middle Ages, dancing was the cure, hence the dance named tarantella.
Tarantulas' predators are normally big snakes or creatures such as the Tarantula Eating Wasp.
Source Daily Express
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