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.
