Avicularia
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Avicularia is a genus of the family Theraphosidae containing various species of tarantulas. The genus is native to tropical South America.
One of the most notable features of the Avicularia species is its odd method of defense. When threatened, their first choice is to jump or run away as quickly as possible - occasionally, though, they will launch a jet of excrement at the perceived threat. Adults are capable of good accuracy and a range of 0.5-1 m (2 or 3 feet).
There is also a belief that they may be the reason behind rumors of "flying spiders" in the rainforests they are native to, as they are quite adept at jumping. Their legs, however, prevent them from gaining much height in making a jump.
List of species
- Avicularia affinis, (Nicolet, 1849)
- Avicularia alticeps, (Keyserling, 1878)
- Avicularia ancylochira,, Mello-Leitao, 1923
- Avicularia anthracina (C.L. Koch, 1842)
- Avicularia aurantiaca Bauer, 1996
- Avicularia avicularia, (Linnaeus, 1758), the Pinktoe tarantula
- Avicularia aymara, (Chamberlin, 1916)
- Avicularia azuraklaasi, Tesmoingt, 1996
- Avicularia bicegoi, Mella-Leitao, 1923
- Avicularia borelli, (Simon, 1897)
- Avicularia braunshauseni, Tesmoingt, 1999, the Goliath pinktoe
- Avicularia caesia,(C.L. Koch, 1842)
- Avicularia cuminami, Mello-Leitao, 1930
- Avicularia detrita, (C.L. Koch, 1842)
- Avicularia diversipes, (C.L. Koch, 1842)
- Avicularia doleschalli, (Ausserer, 1871)
- Avicularia exilis, Strand, 1907
- Avicularia fasciculata, Strand, 1907
- Avicularia geroldi, Tesmoingt, 1999
- Avicularia glauca, Simon, 1891
- Avicularia gracilis, (Keyserling, 1891)
- Avicularia guyana, (Simon, 1892)
- Avicularia hirsuta, (Ausserer, 1875)
- Avicularia holmbergi, Thorell, 1890
- Avicularia huriana, Tesmoingt, 1996, the Ecuadorian woolly
- Avicularia juruensis, Mello-Leitao, 1923, the Yellow-banded pinktoe
- Avicularia laeta, (C.L. Koch, 1842)
- Avicularia leporina, (C.L. Koch, 1841)
- Avicularia metallica, Ausserer, 1875, the White-toe tarantula
- Avicularia minatrix, Pocock, 1903, the Venezuelan redstripe
- Avicularia nigrotaeniata, Mello-Leitao, 1940
- Avicularia obscura, (Ausserer, 1875)
- Avicularia ochracea, (Perty, 1833)
- Avicularia palmicola, Mello-Leitao, 1945
- Avicularia panamensis, (Simon, 1891)
- Avicularia parva, (Keyserling, 1878)
- Avicularia plantaris, (C.L. Koch, 1842)
- Avicularia pulchra, Mello-Leita, 1933
- Avicularia purpurea, Kirk, 1990, the Ecuadorian purple
- Avicularia rapax, (Ausserer, 1875)
- Avicularia recifiensis, Struchen&Brändle, 1996
- Avicularia rufa, Schiapelli&Gerschman, 1945
- Avicularia rutilans, Ausserer, 1875
- Avicularia soratae, Strand, 1907
- Avicularia subvulpina, Strand, 1906
- Avicularia surinamensis, Strand, 1907
- Avicularia taunayi, (Mello-Leitao, 1920)
- Avicularia tigrina, (Pocock, 1902)
- Avicularia ulrichea, Tesmoingt, 1996
- Avicularia urticans, Schmidt, 1994, the Peruvian pinktoe
- Avicularia velutina, Simon, 1889
- Avicularia versicolor, (Walckenaer, 1837), the Antilles pinktoe
- Avicularia violacea, (Mello-Leitão, 1930)
- Avicularia walckenaeri, (Perty, 1833)
External links
- Photos of 14 [Avicularia] species in [tarantulas gallery].
- [Phong's Tarantula page]
- [The Arachnoboards Forums]
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