Avicularia

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This article is about the spider genus. For the bryozoan zooid form, see avicularium.

Avicularia

Female Avicularia versicolor

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Family:	Theraphosidae
Subfamily:	Aviculariinae
Genus:	Avicularia Lamarck, 1818

Diversity

54 species

Species

See article

Avicularia is a genus of the family Theraphosidae containing various species of tarantulas. The genus is native to tropical South America.

A Pinktoe tarantula launching a jet of excrement in defense.

One of the most notable features of the Avicularia species is its odd method of defense. When threatened, their first choice is to jump or run away as quickly as possible - occasionally, though, they will launch a jet of excrement at the perceived threat. Adults are capable of good accuracy and a range of 0.5-1 m (2 or 3 feet).

There is also a belief that they may be the reason behind rumors of "flying spiders" in the rainforests they are native to, as they are quite adept at jumping. Their legs, however, prevent them from gaining much height in making a jump.

Avicularia avicularia are among the tarantulas most commonly kept as pets.

[edit] List of species

Avicularia affinis (Nicolet, 1849) (Chile)
Avicularia alticeps (Keyserling, 1878) (Uruguay)
Avicularia ancylochira Mello-Leitão, 1923 (Brazil)
Avicularia anthracina (C.L. Koch, 1842) (Uruguay)
Avicularia aurantiaca Bauer, 1996 (Peru)
Avicularia avicularia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Costa Rica to Brazil), the Pinktoe tarantula
Avicularia aymara (Chamberlin, 1916) (Peru)
Avicularia azuraklaasi Tesmoingt, 1996 (Peru)
Avicularia bicegoi Mello-Leitão, 1923 (Brazil)
Avicularia borelli (Simon, 1897) (Paraguay)
Avicularia braunshauseni Tesmoingt, 1999 (Brazil), the Goliath pinktoe
Avicularia caesia (C. L. Koch, 1842) (Puerto Rico)
Avicularia cuminami Mello-Leitão, 1930 (Brazil)
Avicularia detrita (C. L. Koch, 1842) (Brazil)
Avicularia diversipes (C. L. Koch, 1842) (Brazil)
Avicularia doleschalli (Ausserer, 1871) (Brazil)
Avicularia exilis Strand, 1907 (Surinam)
Avicularia fasciculata Strand, 1907 (South America)
Avicularia geroldi Tesmoingt, 1999 (Brazil)
Avicularia glauca Simon, 1891 (Panama)
Avicularia gracilis (Keyserling, 1891) (Brazil)
Avicularia guyana (Simon, 1892) (Guyana)
Avicularia hirsuta (Ausserer, 1875) (Cuba)
Avicularia holmbergi Thorell, 1890 (French Guiana)
Avicularia huriana Tesmoingt, 1996 (Ecuador), the Ecuadorian woolly
Avicularia juruensis Mello-Leitão, 1923 (Brazil), the Yellow-banded pinktoe
Avicularia laeta (C. L. Koch, 1842) (Brazil, Puerto Rico)
Avicularia leporina (C. L. Koch, 1841) (Brazil)
Avicularia metallica Ausserer, 1875 (Surinam), the White-toe tarantula
Avicularia minatrix Pocock, 1903 (Venezuela), the Venezuelan redstripe
Avicularia nigrotaeniata Mello-Leitão, 1940 (Guyana)
Avicularia obscura (Ausserer, 1875) (Colombia)
Avicularia ochracea (Perty, 1833) (Brazil)
Avicularia palmicola Mello-Leitão, 1945 (Brazil)
Avicularia panamensis (Simon, 1891) (Mexico, Guatemala, Panama)
Avicularia parva (Keyserling, 1878) (Uruguay)
Avicularia plantaris (C. L. Koch, 1842) (Brazil)
Avicularia pulchra Mello-Leitão, 1933 (Brazil)
Avicularia purpurea Kirk, 1990 (Ecuador), the Ecuadorian purple
Avicularia rapax (Ausserer, 1875) (South America)
Avicularia recifiensis Struchen & Brändle, 1996 (Brazil)
Avicularia rufa Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1945 (Brazil)
Avicularia rutilans Ausserer, 1875 (Colombia)
Avicularia soratae Strand, 1907 (Bolivia)
Avicularia subvulpina Strand, 1906 (South America)
Avicularia surinamensis Strand, 1907 (Surinam)
Avicularia taunayi (Mello-Leitão, 1920) (Brazil)
Avicularia tigrina (Pocock, 1903) (Uruguay)
Avicularia ulrichea Tesmoingt, 1996 (Brazil)
Avicularia urticans Schmidt, 1994 (Peru), the Peruvian pinktoe
Avicularia velutina Simon, 1889 (Venezuela)
Avicularia versicolor (Walckenaer, 1837) (Guadeloupe, Martinique), the Antilles pinktoe
Avicularia violacea (Mello-Leitão, 1930) (Brazil)
Avicularia walckenaeri (Perty, 1833) (Brazil)