Goliath birdeater
Theraphosa blondi in size comparison
Theraphosa blondi (sometimes called the German giant tarantula or Goliath Tarantula ) holds up to twelve inches of length and a leg span length of up to 30 centimeters, according to the Guinness Book of Records as the largest tarantula in the world. She is very hairy, and their color is rust - red or maroon. Females can reach a weight of up to 170 grams.
Adult males are less strongly built than female specimens and are often darker. Unlike many other bird species of spiders, the males of the giant tarantula wear on the first pair of legs, no shin hook ( Tibiaapophysen ).
The chelicerae of the giant tarantula reach a length of about 2.5 inches and the abdomen can be reached in captivity with excessive feeding, the size of a tennis ball. Often the hair of the abdomen is incomplete because it papered their burrow regularly with stinging hairs.
Occurrence and life
These animals come from the tropical rainforest of South America, where they are to be found particularly in the northern part of Brazil, Venezuela, Guyana and French Guiana. The humidity is in their natural habitat approximately 80 to 95% at a temperature of 25 to 32 ° C. Where the microclimate in the buildings from the macro-climate somewhat different. The giant tarantula prefers moist areas. There she digs deep burrows in the earth, so that in times of drought it has a sufficiently moist retreat. It is one of the Bombardier spiders that produce prior to stripping the stinging hairs warning sounds, so-called Stridulationen. During mating, the females are less aggressive than can be expected their general conduct. A cocoon contains about 100 to 150 eggs. The young are hatching an 1.5 to 2 inches tall.
System
Pierre André Latreille described the species in 1804 in honor of its collector M. Le Blond Blondii as Mygale and suggested as a trivial name " Mygale de Le Blond ." Since he selfsame but also wrote in italics, it came in the wake to the emergence of synonyms. So often the name Theraphosa leblondi was used about 1903 to 1996. Thorell presented the way as early as 1870 to 2001 in its own monotypic genus. The superfluous " i" in the ending of the species name was in 1874 eliminated by JT Moggridge.
Toxicity
Some components of the venom of the Theraposa blondi are peptides which act on the function of potassium channels.
Use by humans
In some South American natives Theraphosa blondi is used as a protein source. The taste is similar to the lobster or crab; For details, see entomophagy in humans. She is also in the terrarium because of its size a very popular nursling.