Poecilotheria smithi
| Yellow-backed ornamental tarantula | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Poecilotheria |
| Species: | P. smithi |
| Binomial name | |
| Poecilotheria smithi Kirk, 1996[2] | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Poecilotheria smithi, or the yellow-backed ornamental, is a large arboreal tarantula. It is endemic to Sri Lanka and considered to be critically endangered.[3]
Size
Female is much larger than male with head-to-body length of 6-7cm. Male is 4-5cm.
Identification
The species can be identified by other tiger spiders by all black legs parts (coxa, trochanter, femur) with prominent brushes on femur.
Description
Female
Dorsally carapace is dark brown in color. Patella is greyish. Tibia is brownish black. Tarsus is brownish, with a v-shaped light patch proximally.[4]
Ventrally first and second leg pairs are identical. Coxa, femur and trochanter are all black. Femur with thin white distal band. Patella white. Third and fourth leg pairs are identical.
Male
Dorsally, greenish brown. Folio markings are slightly darker. Ventrally similar to female.[4]
Ecology
Yellow-backed ornamental is one of the rarest tiger spiders found in the island, where it is confined to the Haragama area in Kandy and very few sightings from regions of Matale. It is highly restricted due to habitat destruction. The species is much more docile and not threatened as other tiger spiders, this makes it one of the popular pet spiders in the world.[4]
References
- ↑ The National Red List 2012 of Sri Lanka; Conservation Status of the Fauna and Flora. 8. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Ministry of Environment. p. 476.
- 1 2 "Taxon details Poecilotheria smithi Kirk, 1996". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
- ↑ Ranil P. Nanayakkara; Nilantha Vishvanath; T. G. Tharaka Kusuminda; G.A.S.M. Ganehiarachch (2013). "The Range Extension of the Critically Endangered, Poecilotheria smithi in Sri Lanka, with Notes on its Sociality". Asian Journal of Conservation Biology. 2 (1): 73–75.
- 1 2 3 Nanayakkara, Ranil P. (2014). Tiger Spiders Poecilotheria of Sri Lanka. Colombo: Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environmental & Renewable Energy. p. 167. ISBN 978-955-0033-58-4.