Thursday, 1 March 2018
Things Most People Don't Know About Tarantulas
Tarantulas are some of the most bizarre and amazing creatures that walk upon planet Earth. Despite the fact that they are relatively harmless, they unfortunately garner a bad reputation, mostly due to their appearance. Considering how they are essentially just giant spiders covered in hair, tarantulas appear to most people as little more than creepy crawlies. Furthermore, the media often portrays these arachnids as aggressive monsters rather than the amazing tarantulas that they are. But if appearances were everything, many cute animals wouldn't be this dangerous.
If you get past their rather horrific appearance, you learn that tarantulas possess all kinds of fascinating traits. Many fun facts about tarantulas reveal traits unique to this particular type of arachnid, ranging from its fragile exoskeleton to its hairy defenses. And in comparison to the other scary spiders out there, tarantulas are actually relatively peaceful, more eager to avoid you than you will them. With more than 900 species discovered across every continent but Antarctica, there is plenty to learn, and still plenty to discover, about the tarantula.
They Shouldn’t Even Be Called Tarantulas
Although everyone calls pretty much all big and hairy spiders tarantulas, the truth is this word technically only applies to one species. Before Europeans expanded into the Americas, one particularly large Italian spider called the wolf spider became known as the Lycosa tarantula. It garnered such a fearsome reputation that when settlers began to move to places with even bigger and more dangerous spiders, the name tarantula stuck. Technically, what people know as tarantulas should be called Theraphosids – bird-eating spiders.
The Molting Process Is So Extreme They Can Replace Internal Organs
Most tarantulas go through a molting process several times during their lifespan, shedding their exoskeleton to grow in size and mature into adults. During molting, almost every part of the tarantula detaches, leaving the creature severely exposed; depending on the species, the hardening process can take only an hour or up to an entire week. The process is so dramatic it is even possible for tarantulas to replace internal organs and limbs. However, if they become stuck while leaving behind their old exoskeleton, they will almost certainly die.
Tarantulas Are Almost Never Aggressive
Unlike the reputation built up around tarantulas as being fearsome monsters, they rarely present any danger to humans. If fact, they generally try their best to avoid any potential danger and can sense when people are near. "Most spiders can sense the heat from our bodies and will avoid us," says Dave Clarke, head of invertebrates at London Zoo. "They are not naturally very aggressive.” Even when they are forced into defending themselves, a tarantula will often only inject a tiny amount of venom or even none at all.
They Can Live For Up To 30 Years
The lifespan of tarantulas varies significantly between different species and even sex. Unlike many other creatures, the sexual dimorphism between male and female tarantulas is severe. Most females can live for up to 30 years in the wild and can even reach 20 years of age in captivity. However, it is unusual for males to last longer than seven years at most. In fact, the vast majority of males will live to be just five-years-old.
Webs Are Spun For Reproduction Rather Than Catching Food
Everyone knows that dogs dig holes, chameleons change color, and spiders spin webs. But whereas smaller traditional spiders use their silk to capture insects, tarantulas utilize webs for a very different purpose. Males actually use their webs to attract females and let them know they are ready to mate. When they reach their reproductive stage, they spin a web and deposit sperm onto the silk. The male then rubs the sperm on his pedipalps(leg-like appendages located near the mouth), and uses them to copulate with his prospective mate. Who knew arachnids were so kinky?
They Fire Off Tiny Barbed Hairs In Defense
Although most people know that tarantulas have venom, it is not the toxin that should frighten people. Instead, you should be more worried about urticating hairs. These tiny little bristles are a common defense mechanism amongst plants and caterpillars but almost all tarantulas sport them in their arsenal. Known to cause irritation and inflammation, each hair possesses tiny barbs that can burrow into skin and even into eyes. If left untreated they could cause significant scarring and even blindness.
The Goliath Bird Eater Is The Biggest Tarantula
The biggest spider in the world remains a contentious issue. The giant huntsman spider rocks a huge leg span that dwarfs any other arachnid, yet its overall body size and weight are not as great as some large tarantulas. The biggest of these in terms of body mass is the goliath bird eater. This huge tarantula can be as heavy as 6.2 ounces, about the weight of a small puppy, and have a leg span of 11 inches. While certainly large enough to eat birds, bird eaters typically spend most of their time on the ground eating earthworms.
Their Diet Is Made Up of All Kinds Of Creatures
Despite the size of tarantulas and their reputation for eating birds, the vast majority of species depend on small insects for their diet. However, that doesn’t mean that they are averse to eating other prey if they have access though. Certain species have been known to eat larger creatures, including snakes, frogs, lizards, mice, and even rats. As ambush predators, they surprise their victims and inject them with enough venom to kill them as quickly as possible.
They Eat Prey After Turning Them Into Soup With Digestive Chemicals
As members of the arachnid class, much of a tarantulas biology works in the same way as other spiders. The intestines of a tarantula are too narrow to be able to deal with solid food, meaning the creatures must inject powerful digestive juices into their prey. These chemicals then dissolve the victim into a soup-like material that the tarantula can then suck up and consume.
A Tarantula’s Exoskeleton Can Crack From Even Small Falls
Unlike their smaller relatives, tarantulas cannot escape a significant fall without risking catastrophic injury. Their tough exoskeleton cracks if hit with a big enough impact, causing hemolymph to leak from the body and kill the tarantula. Since they are so susceptible to being injured from a fall, tarantulas must always be secure when climbing. To that end, tarantulas sport retractable claws at the base of their legs that they embed in objects they climb.
There’s A Tarantula Named After Johnny Cash
Most people will not be aware that there is a newly discovered tarantula named after Johnny Cash. Named Aphonopelmajohnnycashi after the famous country singer, the tarantula features several characteristics that led researchers to give it "the Man in Black"'s monikor. Its furry black coat reminded the discoverers of Cash's signature black wardrobe. Furthermore, it lives near the Folsom State Prison in California, the location that inspired one of Cash's hit songs.ranker
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(
Atom
)
Posts
No comments :
Post a Comment