Curlyhair tarantula
Tliltocatl albopilosus (previously Brachypelma albopilosum) is a species of tarantula, also known as the curlyhair tarantula.The species' native range is Nicaragua and Costa Rica. They are largely terrestrial, opportunistically burrowing spiders.
This tarantula is covered in long bristles that have a characteristic curl to them giving them a unique look, which is why they are nick-named "curly-haired" tarantulas.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe curlyhair tarantula is a plump-bodied spider, covered with dark brown to black bristles that start light in coloration as a juvenile and darken as the tarantula ages. It has a golden-bronze sheen due to longer gold bristles that cover the whole body, which are particularly dense on the hind legs. In captivity both male and female specimens have grown to have a leg span of just over 6 inches, however, males live a shorter life at only 5 years in captivity opposed to females reportedly living up to 20 years. Males are often a lighter bronze color than females.
Tliltocatl albopilosus is native to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. A burrowing species, the curlyhair tarantula is found in tropical scrubland, either around the base of large trees, near rivers, or in patches of cleared rain forest.
Receptive females will allow a male to mate, usually during the rainy season, resulting in the making of an egg sac and the laying of 300 to 500 eggs several weeks later. The egg sac is incubated for about seven to eight weeks at 24 to 27 degrees Celsius, after which pale-colored young emerge and cluster together. The spiderlings develop quickly, molting again over the next couple of weeks, by which time they disperse to live independent lives. Unreceptive females are likely to be aggressive towards approaching males and may try to kill and eat them.
Primarily a nocturnal, opportunistic ambusher, the curlyhair tarantula preys on insects and small vertebrates. An area on the end of each leg is sensitive to smell, taste and vibration, and is used to detect prey. The tarantula holds its prey with its pedipalps (front limbs) and injects it with venom delivered via two hollow fangs. This venom has a double purpose, paralysing the prey, as well as beginning digestion. Once the venom has acted the tarantula is able to suck up the proteins and fats of its prey, leaving just a small ball of undigested body parts. This usually docile tarantula will kick hairs off the abdomen with its hind legs when threatened, which cause blindness if they hit the eyes of a predator and can also cause a rash on the skin.
The largest threat to the curlyhair tarantula is now habitat loss. Once captured in large numbers for the international pet trade, the curlyhair tarantula is now bred in captivity worldwide and relatively few are caught in the wild. Listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), the curlyhair tarantula can now be traded internationally only according to quotas and with trade permits.
