Haplopelma
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| Image:Haplopelma lividum1.jpg Cobalt blue tarantula
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H. albostriatum |
Haplopelma is a genus of old-world tarantulas which are found in Southeast Asia. The range of this genus includes Myanmar, southeastern China, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, and Borneo.
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[edit] Description
Haplopelma consists of relatively large specimens, with a typical legspan ranging from 4.5" up to 8" (20 cm). The spiders all thrive in tropical environments, requiring humidity levels of up to 70% or more. They inhabit the tropical rain forests of southeast Asia, where they build and live in burrows up to several feet deep, emerging to capture food. These spiders prey on numerous small creatures, such as cockroaches, crickets, and mice.
[edit] Species
As of May 2006, 11 distinct species are currently assigned to this genus; though the classification of old-world tarantulas from the region is still under some debate in the scientific community. In the past several years there have been numerous reclassifications involving this and other genera.<ref>World Spider Catalog: Family Theraphosidae</ref>
The species in Haplopelma include:
- The Thai zebra tarantula, H. albostriatum, also known as the "edible spider"
- The cobalt blue tarantula, H. lividum
- The Chinese bird spider, H. huwenum, H. hainanum, H. schmidti
- The Thailand black tarantula, H. minax <ref>http://arachnophiliac.co.uk/burrow/caresheets/haplopelma_minax.htm Arachnophiliac.co.uk: Thailand black tarantula</ref>
- H. longipes
- H. doriae, a species from Borneo.
- H. robustum
- H. salangense
- H. vonwirthi. According to German zoologists Volker von Wirth and Boris Striffler (the former for whom the species was named, by fellow zoologist Schmidt; von Wirth had previously named H. schmidti after Schmidt), this may be a misidentified H. minax.<ref>http://www.striffler.net/papers/von_Wirth_&_Striffler_2005-Ornithoctonus_aureotibialis&Haplopelma_longipes.pdf Striffler, Boris and von Wirth, Volker: "Neue Erkenntnisse zur Vogelspinnen – Unterfamilie Ornithoctoninae, mit Beschreibung von Ornithoctonus aureotibialis sp. n. unOrnithoctonus sp. n. und Haplopelma longipes sp. n.
(Araneae, Theraphosidae)" (draft, in German)</ref>
[edit] Medical significance
Like all old-world tarantulas, the spiders in Haploplema lack the urticating hairs found in their new world counterparts, and use biting as a primary means of defense. Those which are common in the pet trade are all known as temperamental and difficult to care for, and likely to bite. While the venom of many of these species hasn't been studied; old world tarantulas are known for having strong venom.
One species in this genus whose venom is extensively studied, and is known to be dangerous to man, is the Chinese bird spider (specifically H. huwenum). There is at least one report of a child dying from a bite by this spider.
[edit] References
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