Theraphosa stirmi
| Theraphosa stirmi | ||||||||||||
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Theraphosa stirmi |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Theraphosa stirmi | ||||||||||||
| Rudloff & Weinmann , 2010 |
Theraphosa stirmi is one of three species in the genus Theraphosa . It is one of the largest spiders , but was not described until 2010.
distribution
Theraphosa stirmi occurs in tropical South America in Guyana and Suriname .
Size and appearance
Females reach a size of 10 to 12 cm. Males are similar in size and hardly differ in color and leg span in the adult stage, but are significantly more slender. The spider has a brown coat of hair. The strength of the colors varies between rust brown and dark brown to almost black. Faint white lines are visible on the spider's legs.
- Differences from Theraphosa blondi
Theraphosa stirmi is often confused with Theraphosa blondi . Theraphosa stirmi lacks long hairs on the top of the patella and tibia, as well as on the bottom of the femur . The spermatheks of the females can be distinguished. The male specimens of Theraphosa stirmi lack the tibial apophysis ( shin hooks ), which distinguishes them from Theraphosa apophysis .
behavior
Theraphosa stirmi digs long tubes under the surface to hide or uses abandoned rodent burrows or cavities in the root network of trees. It is crepuscular and nocturnal.
It is one of the most aggressive species: In the event of danger, it defends itself by shedding stinging hairs on its abdomen, which cause severe itching on the skin, but especially in the eyes and mucous membranes. It bites less often as a defense with the up to 2.5 cm long chelicerae . The bite is described as painful but harmless and the toxicity is low.
nutrition
Naked mice, naked rats, large grasshoppers, cockroaches, crickets and house crickets are eaten in captivity.
Life expectancy
The animals can live to be 12 years old in captivity.
protection
Theraphosa stirmi is not protected by international treaties. Since the species is popular with terrarium keepers, but breeding in captivity is very rare, the price for breeding is high.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ arachnoboards: Taxonomic changes in 2010 , accessed July 10, 2015.
- ↑ J.-P. Rudloff, D. Weinmann: A new giant tarantula from Guyana. In: Arthropoda Scientia , Volume 1, No. 1, 2010, pp. 20-38.
- ↑ a b Mario H .: Theraphosa stirmi. , 2013, accessed July 10, 2015.
- ^ A b Marco Gundlach: Theraphosa stirmi. In: Ratgeber Vogelspinnen, 2015, accessed July 10, 2015.