Poecilotheria rufilata
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Red slate ornamental tarantula | |
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Poecilotheria |
| Species: | P. rufilata |
| Binomial name | |
| Poecilotheria rufilata Pocock, 1899[3] | |
Poecilotheria rufilata, also known as the red slate ornamental, reddish parachute spider, Travancore slate-red, or rufus parachute spider, is an arboreal tarantula. It is endemic to South Western Ghats of India. It is classed as "endangered", threatened by habitat loss and smuggling for the pet trade.[1][4]
The female is larger than the male, with a body length of about 8 cm, the male being at most 3.5 cm in body length.[5] In measured wild-caught specimens, the longest leg of the female was up to 8 cm in total length, that of the male up to 7 cm.[6]
In the first and fourth pairs of legs, the ground color is yellow or green. The femur is also yellow or green proximally, ending with a black part and a thin yellow or green band. The tibia is yellow or green.[7]
Ecology
The species is confined to the south Western Ghats of India, where it lives in tree hollows, under tree bark, and in rock crevices. It sometimes enters human settlements. It is classed as "endangered", with the major threats being habitat degradation and collection for the pet trade. It is smuggled out of India for sale in Europe and America.[1]