| Actual Image
Attacking Tarantulas- for Joe :-) (52)
boreocypriensis
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3401 W: 148 N: 4151]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (10926) | Chaetopelma karlamani (Cyprus Tarantula) [in Turk.Tarantula]
Dear Friends, Yesterday I uploaded the dorsolateral view of this magnificent tarantula and I dedicated it to one of my beloved and heartfelt friends in TN, Joe Kellard (Joey) who is an admirer of spiders and also an expert on photographing them.
In this capture and two additonal images in WS you can see its attacking posture and the details of its belly (1st WS) and mouth parts (2nd WS). Of course I am dedicating them to Joe once more :-). I hope you will like these captures! And I wish to all a nice weekend!
I wish you all the best my friend Joe!
To see the WS versions please click on the following links :-)
1st.WS-from belly side
2nd. WS-mouth parts
Tarantulas can be found in the south- and west parts of the USA, Central America and down throughout South America to the southern parts of Chile, Argentina. They can also be found throughout Africa, large parts of Asia and all over Australia. In Europe, there are some species in Spain, Portugal, Italy, Turkey and in Cyprus. Around 840 described species have been found over the world. They live in warm climates - in dry hot semi-deserts or in humid rainforests. Most are terrestrial and live in burrows, but some are arboreal, e.g. Avicularia.
Tarantulas have eight legs like every kind of arachnid plus a pair of pedipalps. In the scorpion family these are developed to claws but spiders are lacking the claws on the pedipalps. These are used for grabbing the food items, to touch and in mating. The rear end of the spider is called abdomen and the front part cephalothorax, and the top of the cephalothorax is called carapace. The eyes are located on the top of the carapace (Some Spelopelma species are the only theraphosids that lack eyes, they live in caves) and underneath are the mouth and the chelicera with its fangs. The respiratory organs are located in the abdomen, they are called booklungs, and the stomach.
Cyprus Tarantula is a terrestrial and an opportunistic burrower. It use existing coverings or burrows such as cork bark or rocks to hide under. It isn't an extensive web builder. It will web up it's burrow and it's entrance, but not the entire enclosure. It can be aggressive, though it would rather run and hide than attack. This species is very fast and skittish. It has mild poison (no worse than a bee's sting). This species is also known for its ability to jump and escape. It is an endemic species to Northern Cyprus and distributed in the east of the Kyrenia district and especially in Karpas peninsula (Famagusta District). The photographed animal is observed on the walls of the Salamis Ruins (Famagusta) during our herpetological trip to there.
Bayram |
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