Grammostola genus of the tarantula family comprises medium to large-sized spiders occupying parts of South America. French naturalist Eugene Louis Simon described it for the first time in 1892. The March 2020 records mention that this genus has a total of 20 species.
Size: Females are 7 – 9 inches (17.7 – 22.8 cm), while males are smaller.
Color: Most of the species belonging to this genus have a brown body with orangish-red or pinkish hairs.
Other Characteristic Features: The male spiders of this genus are characterized by long legs.
The eggs are small and round, with about 500 of them laid by the females in a silken sac.
Some spiderlings go through several molting phases before adulthood.
They do not make webs but use silk for protecting their burrows. However the male spiders make sperm webs for reproduction.
These spiders hold mild venom that is not usually fatal to humans.
Distribution | Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, Chile, and Uruguay |
Habitat | Scrub, dessert areas, and grassland |
Diet | Beetles moths, grasshoppers, cockroaches, lizards, and mealworms |
Lifespan | Males: 5-6 years Females: 20-25 years |
Image Credits: etsy.com
Grammostola genus of the tarantula family comprises medium to large-sized spiders occupying parts of South America. French naturalist Eugene Louis Simon described it for the first time in 1892. The March 2020 records mention that this genus has a total of 20 species.
Size: Females are 7 – 9 inches (17.7 – 22.8 cm), while males are smaller.
Color: Most of the species belonging to this genus have a brown body with orangish-red or pinkish hairs.
Other Characteristic Features: The male spiders of this genus are characterized by long legs.
The eggs are small and round, with about 500 of them laid by the females in a silken sac.
Some spiderlings go through several molting phases before adulthood.
They do not make webs but use silk for protecting their burrows. However the male spiders make sperm webs for reproduction.
These spiders hold mild venom that is not usually fatal to humans.
Distribution | Bolivia, Argentina, Peru, Chile, and Uruguay |
Habitat | Scrub, dessert areas, and grassland |
Diet | Beetles moths, grasshoppers, cockroaches, lizards, and mealworms |
Lifespan | Males: 5-6 years Females: 20-25 years |
Image Credits: etsy.com