Home / Tarantulas / Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula (Aphonopelma bicoloratum)
Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula (Aphonopelma bicoloratum)
The Mexican blood leg tarantula has bright colors on its body and legs, making it stand out. Found only in Mexico, this spider has a special name because of its vibrant appearance. Here, we’ll share interesting facts about this unique tarantula.
Size: Adult Mexican blood leg tarantulas can reach a size between 11.43-13 cm.
Color: These spiders are a vibrant orange, with black segments on each leg.
Other Characteristic Features: There are urticating hairs all over their bodies.
Eggs
These eggs are yellow and laid inside a protective sac made of webbing.
Spiderlings
They are 0.5 cm long and take some time to mature. Younger spiderlings tend to burrow into small holes, while older juveniles are less likely to do so.
The Web
Webbing produced by these spiders covers the entrances to their burrows.
Are Mexican Blood Leg Tarantulas Venomous?
Yes, Mexican Blood Leg Tarantulas are venomous, like most tarantulas. Their venom helps them subdue their prey.
Can Mexican Blood Leg Tarantulas Bite?
Yes, they can bite if threatened or provoked. However, their bite is generally not harmful to humans, causing mild discomfort. They only bite their prey and use the bristles on their abdomen to deter intruders.
Ecological Importance and Behavior of Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula
Mexican blood leg tarantulas contribute to their desert and scrubland ecosystems by controlling the populations of insects such as cockroaches, crickets, and mealworms. They are nocturnal hunters, preferring to ambush their prey rather than capture it in webs.
Natural Predator: The natural predators of this tarantula include larger animals and birds that can overcome their venom and defensive hairs.
Prey-Predator Dynamics: The Mexican blood leg tarantula plays a dual role in its environment as both predator and prey. This balance is crucial for the health and diversity of their ecosystems.
Relationship with Humans: Human interactions with the Mexican blood leg tarantula are rare and usually occur without incident. While they are venomous, their bites are not considered dangerous to humans and are used defensively or to subdue their prey.
Quick Facts
Other names
Mexican Beauty Tarantula
Lifespan
Males: 5-7 years, Females: 20-25 years
Distribution
Mexico
Habitat
Desert and scrublands
Diet
Cockroaches, crickets, and mealworms
Did You Know
Due to similar appearances, this spider is often confused with the Mexican fireleg tarantula (Brachypelma boehmei). The latter is a slightly darker orange than the former.
In conclusion, the Mexican blood leg tarantula is an essential part of its natural habitat, serving as both a hunter and a source of prey.
A Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula has a vibrant orange body and carapace with distinct black segments on each leg. Adults can reach a leg span of 11.43 to 13 cm and are covered in urticating hairs, which they use as a primary defense mechanism against potential threats.
An adult Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula typically reaches a full leg span of 11.43 to 13 centimeters (about 4.5 to 5 inches). Spiderlings are very small when they hatch, measuring around 0.5 cm, and they grow to their maximum size over several years through successive molts.
Yes, the Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula is venomous, like most tarantulas. Its venom is primarily used to subdue insect prey such as crickets and cockroaches. The venom is not considered medically significant to humans, and a bite typically results in only mild, localized pain and minimal swelling.
The primary defense mechanism for a Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula is flicking the urticating hairs from its abdomen. These barbed bristles can cause significant irritation to the skin and eyes of a potential predator. Biting is a secondary defense, used only when they feel directly threatened or cornered.
The diet of a Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula consists mainly of insects and other small invertebrates. They are opportunistic ambush predators that commonly feed on prey like cockroaches, crickets, and mealworms that wander near their burrows. They use their venom to quickly incapacitate their meals before consumption.
Mexican Blood Leg Tarantulas are native exclusively to the desert and scrubland ecosystems of Mexico. They are a terrestrial species that creates burrows for shelter from predators and the elements. Their natural habitat provides the specific environmental conditions necessary for their survival and reproduction in the wild.
Mexican Blood Leg Tarantulas do not build webs to catch prey like orb-weaver spiders do. Instead, they produce webbing primarily to line the entrances of their burrows. This silk reinforces the burrow structure and can act as a tripwire, alerting the tarantula to nearby prey or predators.
Dr Richard J. Pearce (PhD) on June 10, 2022.
Spider Team
