The Brachypelma belongs to the tarantula family, indigenous to parts of Mexico and Central America. According to the October 2017 records, there are 17 species in this genus divided into two distinct groups, namely the red leg and red rump tarantulas.
Size: They have an average size of 60 mm (2.32 inches), with the leg span also of a similar length. Certain spiders belonging to this genus are big enough. For instance, the B. smithi is 45 to 60 mm (1.77 inches to 2.36 inches) long with a leg span of about 70 mm (2.75 inches). The B. kahlenbergi, on the other hand, is smaller, with a size of about 30 mm to 40mm (1.18 inches to 1.57 inches). Females are mostly bigger than males, though with shorter legs.
Color: They have a bright body, mostly available in shades of yellowish-orange, bronze, and brown. The red leg tarantulas have markings of red on their legs.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a hairy leg and palp. The palpal bulbs of the males are flattened, also comprising of a spoon-shaped embolus. The spermathecae of females are fused into a flat cross-section.
The eggs of most of the species are round in the size of a golf ball. They mostly hatch before the rainy season commences.
In the initial months of their life, the spiderlings molt in two weeks.
Like most members of the tarantula family, these spiders do not spin webs but capture their prey through hunting.
Most spiders of this genus are big and bite when provoked. However, their venom is not poisonous to humans, causing skin allergies and localized pain that would go away in a few days.
| Lifespan | Males: 4-5 years Females: 10 years |
| Distribution | Throughout Mexico and Central America |
| Habitat | Thorny forests, deciduous forests, scrublands, deserts |
| Predators | Snake, lizards, large birds, and wasps |
| Diet | Rodents, insects, small frogs, and other spiders |
Image Credits: davethebugguy.org
The Brachypelma belongs to the tarantula family, indigenous to parts of Mexico and Central America. According to the October 2017 records, there are 17 species in this genus divided into two distinct groups, namely the red leg and red rump tarantulas.
Size: They have an average size of 60 mm (2.32 inches), with the leg span also of a similar length. Certain spiders belonging to this genus are big enough. For instance, the B. smithi is 45 to 60 mm (1.77 inches to 2.36 inches) long with a leg span of about 70 mm (2.75 inches). The B. kahlenbergi, on the other hand, is smaller, with a size of about 30 mm to 40mm (1.18 inches to 1.57 inches). Females are mostly bigger than males, though with shorter legs.
Color: They have a bright body, mostly available in shades of yellowish-orange, bronze, and brown. The red leg tarantulas have markings of red on their legs.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a hairy leg and palp. The palpal bulbs of the males are flattened, also comprising of a spoon-shaped embolus. The spermathecae of females are fused into a flat cross-section.
The eggs of most of the species are round in the size of a golf ball. They mostly hatch before the rainy season commences.
In the initial months of their life, the spiderlings molt in two weeks.
Like most members of the tarantula family, these spiders do not spin webs but capture their prey through hunting.
Most spiders of this genus are big and bite when provoked. However, their venom is not poisonous to humans, causing skin allergies and localized pain that would go away in a few days.
| Lifespan | Males: 4-5 years Females: 10 years |
| Distribution | Throughout Mexico and Central America |
| Habitat | Thorny forests, deciduous forests, scrublands, deserts |
| Predators | Snake, lizards, large birds, and wasps |
| Diet | Rodents, insects, small frogs, and other spiders |
Image Credits: davethebugguy.org
