Also called the ‘purple tree tarantula’, ‘Ecuadorian purple tarantula’, and ‘Ecuador purple pinktoe’, this species is a spider found throughout Ecuador. It is arboreal by nature and are often found in cracks and crevices of trees.
Size: They can reach a maximum length of about 5 cm (2.0 in).
Color: The body is a solid brownish to purplish black, while the hairs have a lighter hue.
Other Characteristic Features: The entire body is covered with fine, velvety hair growths except the back of the cephalothorax and the abdomen.
After an aggressive mating with the male, the females lay up to 120 eggs in a cocoon after a few months. The mother keeps protecting the cocoon until the baby spiders are ready to come out.
After six to eight weeks anything between 50 and 120 nymphs come out since not all eggs hatch successfully. As they emerge, the young spiders are taken care by the female until they attain maturity and are ready to find their own food.
This tarantula is not venomous and there are no reports of humans being seriously affected by their bites except that a bite might only give symptoms like local rashes, redness, or a mild swelling.
| Lifespan | Not known, but females live longer than males |
| Distribution | Found only in Ecuador |
| Habitat | In agricultural areas, especially in the grazing cattle fields |
| Common predators | Various kinds of reptiles and birds |
| Diet | Crickets, meal worms, cockroaches, waxworms and darkling beetles |
Image Credits: I.pinimg.com, Featuredcreature.com, Renatoespinosa-photography.com
Also called the ‘purple tree tarantula’, ‘Ecuadorian purple tarantula’, and ‘Ecuador purple pinktoe’, this species is a spider found throughout Ecuador. It is arboreal by nature and are often found in cracks and crevices of trees.
Size: They can reach a maximum length of about 5 cm (2.0 in).
Color: The body is a solid brownish to purplish black, while the hairs have a lighter hue.
Other Characteristic Features: The entire body is covered with fine, velvety hair growths except the back of the cephalothorax and the abdomen.
After an aggressive mating with the male, the females lay up to 120 eggs in a cocoon after a few months. The mother keeps protecting the cocoon until the baby spiders are ready to come out.
After six to eight weeks anything between 50 and 120 nymphs come out since not all eggs hatch successfully. As they emerge, the young spiders are taken care by the female until they attain maturity and are ready to find their own food.
This tarantula is not venomous and there are no reports of humans being seriously affected by their bites except that a bite might only give symptoms like local rashes, redness, or a mild swelling.
| Lifespan | Not known, but females live longer than males |
| Distribution | Found only in Ecuador |
| Habitat | In agricultural areas, especially in the grazing cattle fields |
| Common predators | Various kinds of reptiles and birds |
| Diet | Crickets, meal worms, cockroaches, waxworms and darkling beetles |
Image Credits: I.pinimg.com, Featuredcreature.com, Renatoespinosa-photography.com
Roy Williams on March 30, 2019.
Dr. Watuwa James
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