Poecilotheria regalis (lat.) - a species of spiders from the family of tarantulas ( Theraphosidae ). Reach 18 cm in leg span . Distributed in India : from Western Ghat in the north to Cochin in the south [2] . The species is confined mainly to natural thickets, although sexually mature males sometimes enter agricultural land in search of females [2] . The populations of this species are highly fragmented due to the destruction of the natural habitat [2] .
| Poecilotheria regalis | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Poecilotheria regalis on a tree trunk | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Poecilotheria regalis Pocock , 1899 [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Content
Behavior and lifestyle
Like other tarantulas, Poecilotheria regalis does not build nets. At night, they actively hunt, discovering a prey (mainly insects) through vibrations that spiders perceive with tactile bristles on their legs . In the afternoon, Poecilotheria regalis take shelter in the hollows of tall trees, which are lined with a funnel-shaped web .
In captivity, males reach puberty at the age of one and a half years and usually die after the first breeding season [2] . Females become sexually mature much later - at the age of 2.5–3 years, they live up to 12–15 years and breed twice a year, laying 100–200 eggs per clutch [2] .
Danger to humans
It is believed that the poison of species of the genus Poecilotheria is more dangerous for humans than the poison of many other tarantulas . A bite can cause severe pain, muscle cramps and prolonged weakness [3] . No fatalities have been reported.
Gallery
Poecilotheria regalis in the terrarium
View of the spider from the back
View of the spider from the ventral side
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 Platnick, NI (2010). List of species Theraphosidae . The world spider catalog, version 11.0. American Museum of Natural History. (English) (Retrieved November 30, 2010)
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 Poecilotheria regalis . The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species .
- ↑ Ahmed, N., Pinkham, M., Warrell, DA (2009). Symptom in search of a toxin: muscle spasms following bites by Old World tarantula spiders (Lampropelma nigerrimum, Pterinochilus murinus, Poecilotheria regalis) with review. QJM 102 (12): 851–857. DOI : 10.1093 / qjmed / hcp128 (English) (Retrieved November 30, 2010)