Grammostola rosea

Taxonavigation

Taxonavigation: Theraphosoidea
Superregnum: Eukaryota Cladus: Unikonta Cladus: Opisthokonta Cladus: Holozoa Regnum: Animalia Subregnum: Eumetazoa Cladus: Bilateria Cladus: Nephrozoa Cladus: Protostomia Cladus: Ecdysozoa Cladus: Panarthropoda Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Chelicerata Classis: Arachnida Ordo: Araneae Subordo: Opisthothelae Infraordo: Mygalomorphae Superfamilia: Theraphosoidea

Familia: Theraphosidae
Subfamilia: Theraphosinae
Tribus: Grammostolini
Genus: Grammostola
Species: Grammostola rosea

Also known as the Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula, common among Tarantula-admirers as a pet, this New World Species is rather calm compared to most Tarantulas. This particular Tarantula has what many other New World Tarantulas have, Urticating hairs/bristles. This means that the many hairs that cover this tarantula's whole body can be flung off and are barbed so that they stick into oncoming threats including humans. (From personal experience, these hairs can be very irritating on skin, I recommend being cautious around these spiders even if they are a pet.) Despite these annoying hairs, these spiders don't have a toxic venom, and are not remotely threatening to humans in any way. However these Tarantulas are often caught and fried in some south American countries, and treated as a common snack. But if not captured to this unfortunate death, the females of this species can live over 20 years, although the males usually only make it to 5 years before their "partner" eats them after mating. Rose Hairs are good eaters, eating various insects, other spiders, some scorpions, lizards, frogs, and small mammals. These spiders don't have the largest leg span, usually only reaching a max of 15.24 cm (6 inches), they are considerably dense and heavy compared to other spiders, making them some of the heaviest in the world.

Name

Grammostola rosea Walckenaer, 1837

Synonyms

Citharoscelus kochii F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1899
Citharoscelus spatulatus Pocock, 1903
Eurypelma rosea Ausserer, 1871
Eurypelma spatulatum F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1897
Grammostola argentinense Strand, 1907
Grammostola argentinensis Strand, 1907
Grammostola cala Chamberlin, 1917
Grammostola spathulata Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1962
Grammostola spatulata F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1897
Grammostola spatulatus Smith, 1986
Lasiodora porteri Mello-Leitão, 1936: 122
Lasiodora rosea C. L. Koch, 1850
Mygale rosea Walckenaer, 1837
Mygale rubiginosa Nicolet, 1849

References

Platnick, N. I. 2008. The World Spider Catalog, version 9.0. American Museum of Natural History. [1]

Vernacular names

Deutsch: Rote Chile-Vogelspinne
English: Chilean Rose Tarantula
русский: Чилийский розовый птицеед