South Indian tree tarantula

South Indian tree tarantula
	South Indian tree tarantula ( Poecilotheria formosa ), female
Systematics
Order :	Spiders (Araneae)
Subordination :	Tarantulas (Mygalomorphae)
Family :	Tarantulas (Theraphosidae)
Subfamily :	Poecilotheriinae
Genre :	Poecilotheria
Type :	South Indian tree tarantula
Scientific name
	Poecilotheria formosa
	Pocock , 1899

South Indian or Salem tree tarantula ( Poecilotheria formosa ) is a spider from the tarantula family (Theraphosidae). According to its common name , the species is endemic in southern India .

Similar to one of the German names, the species is called Salem ornamental tarantula (translated Salem ornamental tarantula ) in English .

features

male

The female of the South Indian tree tarantula reaches a body length of about 60 millimeters and the male one of about 50 millimeters. The species has a brown basic color and, like all species of the genus, a contrasting drawing that is particularly pronounced in the female. The female has a bright ornament pattern on the prosoma (front body) and the opisthosoma (abdomen) and equally brightly ringed extremities. The patterns are less pronounced in the male.

Similar species

A species similar to the Indian tree tarantula is the closely related Poecilotheria chaojii , which is found in central India . This differs from the Indian tree tarantula in that the ringlets continued on the ventral side of the fourth pair of legs. There are also some similarities with the species Poecilotheria tigrinawesseli .

Occurrence

Rainforest near the southern Indian settlement of Agumbe ( Shimoga district and Karnataka state ), one of the habitats of the South Indian tree tarantula.

The South Indian tree tarantula lives in accordance with the trivial names South India as endemic and some areas shares its range with belonging to the same genus Poecilotheria regalis ( P. regalis ). Like these, the South Indian tree tarantula lives in the rainforests of the range. Unlike the tiger tarantula, however, it only occurs in the lowlands.

Threat and protection

The populations of the South Indian tree tarantula, like those of other species of the genus, are declining due to the decline in their habitats and the excessive removal of specimens from nature for the pet trade, and the species is therefore threatened. It is classified as "endangered" by the IUCN and according to the Washington Convention on Species Protection , wild-caught animals may only be exported to a limited extent.

Way of life

Male kept as a pet in his woven fabric

Like the other species of the genus Poecilotheria , the South Indian tree tarantula is one of the tree-dwelling tarantulas and creates living webs within its habitat , preferably in tree hollows. Like all tarantulas, this nocturnal species leaves its web, unlike other species in the family, often during the day in search of prey.

The South Indian tree tarantula shares its shy nature with the other species of the genus. When disturbed, she usually tries to flee in a flash. If the spider is unable to escape, it will adopt the threatening gesture typical of tarantulas and can also bite in extreme distress.

Phenology and reproduction

Cub

The South Indian tree tarantula is active all year round and its reproductive behavior does not differ any further from that of other tarantulas. Some time after mating, a female creates an egg cocoon , which can contain 50 to 200 eggs. The young animals hatched within a certain period of time after the cocoon was made are light brown in color and have dark signs. Females of the species live to be twelve to fifteen years old in captivity, the males are shorter-lived.

Terrariums

A female kept in a terrarium

Like some other tarantulas, the Indian tree tarantula enjoys a certain popularity as a pet in terrariums . For the species found in tropical rainforests, in order to achieve successful keeping, the species must prevail in their natural range. Before purchasing one or more specimens of the Indian tree tarantula one should be aware of the hectic nature of the species. In addition, like all species of the genus, the Indian tree tarantula has a comparatively strong poison for tarantulas. Several animals can be kept in groups in one container, although the possibility of cannibalism among the spiders cannot be completely ruled out.

Although offspring of the species are commercially available, it is feared that the stocks that are already threatened will continue to decline due to excessive exports (see chapter " Threat and Protection ").

Systematics

The Indian tree tarantula was named Poecilotheria formosa when it was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1899 . The species name comes from the Latin word formosus for "well-designed". There were no renaming or changes. A tarantula newly described by K. Thulsi Rao in 2006 as Poecilotheria nallamalaiensis was later synonymous with the Indian tree tarantula , as it was not a separate species.