Haplocosmia himalayana
Haplocosmia himalayana is a tarantula also known as the Himalayan banded earthtiger or the Himalayan purple-banded earth tiger tarantula.[1] It was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1899, and as its common name implies, it is found in the Himalayas. This species has also been suggested as a pest controller,[2]
| Haplocosmia himalayana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Haplocosmia |
| Species: | H. himalayana |
| Binomial name | |
| Haplocosmia himalayana Pocock, 1899 | |
Description
Males of this species can live up to 5 years and females up to 15 years. Females may grow up to 13 cm, while males only reach up to 6 cm. Both sexes have a light brown, grayish carapace and opisthosoma, with legs that are mostly dark brown with a tan patella.[2]
Distribution
The species is found in the southern edge of the Himalayan foothills, around the Dehradun district, a region of temperate climate with cold winters. It appears to prefer a temperature range of 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) and 65% of humidity.[2]
Behavior
The species makes burrows in moist soil and constructs webs for seclusion. It feeds on other invertebrates, including their own species, and is well adapted to kill large prey.[2]
References
- "Haplocosmia himalayana (Pocock, 1899)". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
- Husain, Akhlaq (2020). "New Record of Himalayan Earth Tiger Tarantula Haplocosmia himalayana (Pocock, 1899) (Arachnida : Araneae : Theraphosidae) from Rajpur, Dehra Dun (Uttarakhand) with its Taxo-morphology, Distribution and Pest Controlling" (PDF). Research Trend. Retrieved December 11, 2022.