Skeleton Tarantula

ANIMAL:
Skeleton Tarantula     Ephebopus murinus

Type of Animal:
Tarantula

Habitat:
Tropical forest

Location(s):
N Brazil, French Guiana, & Suriname

Appearance:
Black legs w/ yellowish striping, small brown abdomen, coffee or golden upper body, skeleton-like markings on legs, females larger than males, young have metallic green abdomens

Food/Diet:
Flies, crickets, roaches, grasshoppers, worms, beetles, moths, insect larvae, small mammals, amphibians

Status in Wild:
Stable

Conservation:
Breeding from zoos & breeders

Lifestyle:
Solitary

Additional Info:

Called:
Male
Female
Young-Spiderling
Group-Solitary

Weight:
Male-2 oz
Female-3 oz

Gestation:
1.5 months 

Life Span:
Males: 3 years
Females: 12-14 years

Body Length:
Male-1.96 in
Female-2.36 in

Main predators are parasitic wasps, birds, snakes, lizards, & carnivorous/omnivorous mammals.

Tends to stay on forest floor & burrow there.

Males have leg span of 4.5 inches while females have leg span of 6 inches.

Like many tarantulas, they’re mildly venomous.

Males usually only breed once in a lifetime.

Rather shy in the wild.

They’re active at night (nocturnal).

Sexually mature at 2 years.

They burrow underground to escape hot sun.

Fun Fact(s):
Due to defensive temperament, these tarantulas more suited for more advanced keepers.

Never disturb tarantulas when molting due to vulnerable state they’re in at this time.

As defense, they’ll brush irritating hairs from palps (structures lateral to jaws & anterior to 1st pair of walking legs- unique since most tarantulas have these hairs on abdomen. If hairs get on skin, it can leave itchy bumps or rash lasting from 2 hours to a week. If hairs breathed in, it feels as if one scrubbed throat w/ sandpaper. If hairs get in eye, eyes become red & puffy, feeling like eyelash/dust speck you can’t get out, w/ some burning sensation & when blinking, inside of eyelid will feel like sandpaper.

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