Porto Santo tarantula

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Porto Santo tarantula
Systematics
Class : Arachnids (arachnida)
Order : Spiders (Araneae)
Subordination : Real spiders (Araneomorphae)
Family : Wolf spiders (Lycosidae)
Genre : Hogna
Type : Porto Santo tarantula
Scientific name
Hogna Schmitzi
Wunderlich , 1992

The Porto Santo tarantula ( Hogna schmitzi ) is a spider from the family of wolf spiders (Lycosidae). The species gets its German trivial name from its range, which is limited to the Portuguese island of Porto Santo , and is one of the largest spiders in Europe .

features

The Porto Santo tarantula reaches a body length of 20 to 30 millimeters and a leg span of 80 to 100 (occasionally more) millimeters. The basic color of the species is gray, with prosoma and opisthosoma additionally showing drawing elements typical of wolf spiders. The bright orange color of the upper side of the legs from the tibia , which is particularly pronounced on the two front pairs of legs, is striking. The spider can adapt the coloring to the ground by shedding its skin.

Occurrence

The Porto Santo tarantula is endemic to the eponymous island of Porto Santo, which belongs to the Madeira archipelago and the state of Portugal . It inhabits the entire area of ​​the island including its sub-islands. With the exception of densely forested areas, it can be found in various habitats , including near human settlements.

Threat and protection

Despite its comparatively small distribution area, the Porto Santo tarantula is not endangered due to its adaptability, unlike the closely related Deserta tarantula ( Hogna ingens ), which is also endemic in its range . The species has stable populations and is classified as "not endangered" by the IUCN .

Way of life

The Porto Santo tarantula is a ground dweller and, like many wolf spiders, is predominantly nocturnal, but it does not dig burrows. Like almost all representatives of the family, the Porto Santo tarantula hunts freely on the ground either as a stalker or actively hunting and accordingly without a safety net. The prey scheme mainly includes other arthropods with a size up to the spider's own leg span. When it encounters a possible predator , the Porto Santo tarantula tries to escape first. Otherwise she can defend herself with a threatening gesture typical for some spiders of the superfamily Lycosoidea or those of the not closely related superfamily of tarantula-like , in which the first pair of legs and the pedipalps are raised, and if necessary with a poison bite.

Reproduction

The reproductive behavior of the Porto Santo tarantula is largely identical to that of other wolf spiders. The mating season takes place mainly in summer from March. The male also performs courtship behavior here before the actual mating occurs. After mating, the female develops a higher need for food due to the eggs maturing in her, until she then makes an egg cocoon and carries it with her attached to the spinneret. As soon as they hatch, the young animals, about 50 to 300 in number, climb onto the mother's opisthosoma and let themselves be carried by the mother, before they leave their mother a few days after hatching and now grow on their own. Females with cocoons or young can also be found more often during the day. Both the still growing young spiders and the adult spiders overwinter between November and March. The maximum life expectancy of the Porto Santo tarantula is three to five years for females and two years for males.

Bite accidents and toxicity

Due to its size, the Porto Santo tarantula is also able to bite humans. However, this is only used by the less aggressive species in extreme need (see chapter " Way of life "). The bite itself is quite painful and causes symptoms such as an increased temperature, pain and swelling in the area of ​​the bite wound. In addition, there is a burning sensation and an increased pulse, whereby these symptoms subside after just 24 hours. Accordingly, the bite does not trigger any further symptoms or medically relevant consequences (an allergy would be an exception).

Terrariums

Due to its large size (including leg span), its color and its comparatively light posture, the Porto Santo tarantula is occasionally kept as a terrarium animal. Offspring of the species also exist in captivity.

Systematics

The Porto Santo tarantula was first described by Jörg Wunderlich in 1992 and was not given any synonyms or transfers to other genera.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d Description of the Madeira Archipelago's spiders including the Porto Santo tarantula on the Biodiversity Data Journal website ( link ), accessed on December 16, 2019.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Description and husbandry report of the Porto Santo tarantula on the website of terrarium.com.pl ( Link (Polish) ), accessed on December 16, 2019.
  3. ↑ a b c d e f Hogna Schmitzi (Wunderlich, 1992) on the website of the Mid Atlantic Islands Invertebrate Specialist Group , accessed on December 16, 2019.
  4. ↑ Porto Santo tarantula threat status on the IUCN website , accessed December 16, 2019.
  5. ↑ Hogna Schmitzi (Wunderlich, 1992) in the WSC World Spider Catalog , accessed on December 16, 2019.

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