Brazilian Salmon Pink
(Lasiodora parahybana)
Facts
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IUCN NOT EVALUATED (NE)
Facts about this animal
The Brazilian Salmon Pink can reach a leg span of 20-25 cm whereas the body will be 9-10 cm long. Males have relatively longer legs, but large females can weight more than 100 g. The colour is a uniform greyish-black. Body and legs are covered in rather straight, long, grey or salmon hairs. Hairs on males’ abdomen are more reddish. The body is divided into an anterior prosoma (cephalothorax) and a posterior opisthosoma (abdomen), both having no visible segmentation. The former carries eight eyes, two forward chelicerae with ventral, backward claws connected to venom glands, two pedipalps and eight walking legs, the latter has long spinnerets and two pairs of booklungs with ventral slit openings.
The Brazilian Salmon Pink stays outside its den more often than other tarantulas. It is usually motionless and seldom moves, but if it does it is very quick. To defend itself it first flicks off urticating hairs from its abdomen with its hind legs. These hairs can cause severe (allergenic) reactions. If this does not help it hits with its fore legs.
This tarantula is vigorous and voracious. In the wild, the species is known to even prey on the dangerous lance-headed viper. The prey is predigested in front of the mouth by means of digestive juices injected through the chelicerae. The liquefied content of the prey is finally sucked.
Both sexes have their genital aperture in front on the ventral side of the abdomen. The male deposits a drop of sperm on a self-made web to transfer it with its pedipalps to the female’s genital opening. After copulation the female produces a cocoon with up to 1200 eggs. Well fed specimens grow rapidly and reach maturity in 2 (males) or 3 years (females). The Brazilian Salmon Pink may live up to 12-15 years, and adults will moult once a year which, in each case, lasts 10 hours, the spider lying on its back.
Did you know?
that the Brazilian Salmon Pink is a popular species kept as pet due to steadily growing tarantula keeping hobby? that tarantulas, despite their common name bird spiders, do not feed on birds or fledglings? This misconception arose because an old and misleading illustration of Maria Sibylla Merian showed a tarantula sucking a hummingbird.
| Factsheet | |
|---|---|
| Class | ARACHNIDA |
| Order | ARANEAE |
| Suborder | MYGALOMORPHAE |
| Family | THERAPHOSIDAE |
| Name (Scientific) | Lasiodora parahybana |
| Name (English) | Brazilian Salmon Pink |
| Name (German) | Brasilianische Riesenvogelspinne |
| Name (Spanish) | Tarántula salmón rosado de Brasil |
| CITES Status | Not listed |
| CMS Status | Not listed |
Photo Copyright by
George Chernilevsky
Distribution
| Distribution | |
|---|---|
| Range | Eastern Brazil (Paraíba) |
| Habitat | Tropical dry forest or veldt under stones and pieces of bark; ground dweller. |
| Wild population | Endemic species with restricted distribution. Since it is bred quite easily in captivity pressure on natural populations may be rather low. |
| Zoo population | 85 reported to ISIS (2008) |
In the Zoo
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Why do zoos keep this animal
The Brazilian Salmon Pink is said to be the third largest spider of the world. This combined with its attitude to expose itself makes it an easy to look at representative of spiders.
The Brazilian Salmon Pink is a long-lived animal what makes it favourable to exhibit.
How this animal should be kept
The Brazilian Salmon Pink is not recommended for beginners, as they are fast and large and will possibly kick off urticating hairs if hard-pressed. Although not quick to bite, its chelicerae may cause medically significant mechanical damage. The venom is rather harmless but infections cause by intruded pathogenic agents may be severe. Otherwise, the species is robust and easy-care. Be sure that the terrarium is escape proof.
The Brazilian Salmon Pink has to be kept in a terrarium that measures at least four times its leg span in length (at least 40 cm x 40 cm x 30 cm). The ground may be 10 cm humus or garden mould moistened at one half (including the den). The terrarium should be furnished with peat moss or vermiculite, a piece of bark to hide and a water dish for bathing. Preferred humidity is 60-85 %, and temperature should be 23-26 °C during day and 18-20 °C during night. If the animal is restless, then reduce humidity. Take care for well ventilation. Food is provided every two weeks and may consist of four to six crickets. Other insects like cockroaches and locusts will work too, and even small mammals and lizards may be given.