Home / Tarantulas / Fringed Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria ornata)

Fringed Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria ornata)

The fringed ornamental tarantula is a special spider from Sri Lanka. A smart scientist named Reginald Innes Pocock talked about this spider for the first time in 1899. Want to discover more about it? We’ve got some cool facts to share with you about this unique spider!

Scientific Classification

Fringed Ornamental Tarantula

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

  • Size: These tarantulas are quite large, measuring between 7-8 cm (2.7-3.14 in).
  • Color: The dorsal side of these beetles has a yellowish-green or violet tinge. Their limbs are covered with reddish-brown setae and yellow markings.
  • Other Characteristic Features: They are the second-largest spider of its genus, after Poecilotheria rufilata.

Poecilotheria Ornata

Eggs

The eggs of this spider are orange, with around 50-100 eggs being laid every time.

Spiderlings

Juveniles mature after around a year.

The Web

They make asymmetric funnel webs inside the holes of hollow trees.

Fringed Ornamental Tarantula Picture

Are Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas Venomous?

Yes, Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas have venom. They mostly use it to grab their meals.

Can Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas Bite?

They can bite, but they’re usually calm. If they feel threatened or cornered, they might bite to defend themselves. While there have been no recorded deaths, the bite of these spiders has been known to cause intense pain and muscle cramps.

Fringed Ornamental

Ecological Importance and Behavior of Fringed Ornamental Tarantula

The Fringed Ornamental Tarantula plays a crucial role in its habitat as a predator. By feeding on insects such as beetles, crickets, and termites, it helps control the population of these species, contributing to the ecological balance of the forest.

Natural Predators: Despite their venom and impressive size, Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas have natural predators, including birds, mammals, and reptiles, which can threaten their survival in the wild.

Prey-Predator Dynamics: The tarantula’s venom is a vital tool for subduing prey, ensuring it can feed and survive. This dynamic highlights the tarantula’s role as an apex predator within its ecological niche.

Relationship with Humans: While Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas may not interact with humans frequently, they are sometimes kept as pets by arachnid enthusiasts. In the wild, their bites to humans are defensive, not aggressive, and there have been no deaths attributed to them, although their bites can be painful.

Poecilotheria Ornata Image

Quick Facts

Other namesOrnate tiger spider
LifespanMales: 3 years

Females: 11-12 years

DistributionSri Lanka
HabitatForests
DietBeetles, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and termites

Poecilotheria Ornata Tarantula

Did You Know

  • This spider has a mutualistic relationship with frogs like Nagao’s pug-snout frog. They often lay their eggs in the same hollow, with the spider protecting the frog from predators and the frog protecting the eggs from ants.

In conclusion, the Fringed Ornamental Tarantula is an essential part of the forest ecosystem in Sri Lanka.

The fringed ornamental tarantula is a special spider from Sri Lanka. A smart scientist named Reginald Innes Pocock talked about this spider for the first time in 1899. Want to discover more about it? We’ve got some cool facts to share with you about this unique spider!

Fringed Ornamental Tarantula

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

  • Size: These tarantulas are quite large, measuring between 7-8 cm (2.7-3.14 in).
  • Color: The dorsal side of these beetles has a yellowish-green or violet tinge. Their limbs are covered with reddish-brown setae and yellow markings.
  • Other Characteristic Features: They are the second-largest spider of its genus, after Poecilotheria rufilata.

Poecilotheria Ornata

Eggs

The eggs of this spider are orange, with around 50-100 eggs being laid every time.

Spiderlings

Juveniles mature after around a year.

The Web

They make asymmetric funnel webs inside the holes of hollow trees.

Fringed Ornamental Tarantula Picture

Are Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas Venomous?

Yes, Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas have venom. They mostly use it to grab their meals.

Can Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas Bite?

They can bite, but they’re usually calm. If they feel threatened or cornered, they might bite to defend themselves. While there have been no recorded deaths, the bite of these spiders has been known to cause intense pain and muscle cramps.

Fringed Ornamental

Ecological Importance and Behavior of Fringed Ornamental Tarantula

The Fringed Ornamental Tarantula plays a crucial role in its habitat as a predator. By feeding on insects such as beetles, crickets, and termites, it helps control the population of these species, contributing to the ecological balance of the forest.

Natural Predators: Despite their venom and impressive size, Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas have natural predators, including birds, mammals, and reptiles, which can threaten their survival in the wild.

Prey-Predator Dynamics: The tarantula’s venom is a vital tool for subduing prey, ensuring it can feed and survive. This dynamic highlights the tarantula’s role as an apex predator within its ecological niche.

Relationship with Humans: While Fringed Ornamental Tarantulas may not interact with humans frequently, they are sometimes kept as pets by arachnid enthusiasts. In the wild, their bites to humans are defensive, not aggressive, and there have been no deaths attributed to them, although their bites can be painful.

Poecilotheria Ornata Image

Quick Facts

Other namesOrnate tiger spider
LifespanMales: 3 years

Females: 11-12 years

DistributionSri Lanka
HabitatForests
DietBeetles, crickets, grasshoppers, moths, and termites

Poecilotheria Ornata Tarantula

Did You Know

  • This spider has a mutualistic relationship with frogs like Nagao’s pug-snout frog. They often lay their eggs in the same hollow, with the spider protecting the frog from predators and the frog protecting the eggs from ants.

In conclusion, the Fringed Ornamental Tarantula is an essential part of the forest ecosystem in Sri Lanka.