Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-eating Tarantula
This is a huge spider from Brazil with pinkish hairs. It is one of the largest spiders in the world and eats birds, insects, and other small animals.
What is it?
The Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana) is a large spider from the tropical rainforests of Brazil. It is one of the biggest tarantulas in the world, with a leg span that can reach up to 10 inches (25 cm). It gets its name from the salmon-pink hairs on its body and its ability to eat small birds, though it mostly eats insects and other small animals.
How old?
This spider is alive today. The species has been around for millions of years, but this particular spider was likely born recently.
What was it like?
This tarantula is a predator. It hunts at night, using its venom to paralyze prey. When threatened, it uses its back legs to flick urticating hairs from its abdomen toward the attacker. These hairs can irritate the skin and eyes. Despite its size, it is generally docile and not very dangerous to humans.
Why does it matter?
This tarantula is important because it is a top predator in its ecosystem, helping control insect and small animal populations. It is also popular in the pet trade because of its large size and calm temperament. Studying it helps scientists understand spider behavior and venom.
Connections
Next to find
- Find a tarantula from another continent, like Africa or Asia.
- Look for a spider that uses a web instead of hunting on the ground.
- Compare the size of this tarantula to a smaller spider in the museum.
巴西三文鱼鸟蛛
这是一种来自巴西的巨大蜘蛛，带有粉红色的毛。它是世界上最大的蜘蛛之一，吃鸟、昆虫和其他小动物。
这是什么？
巴西三文鱼鸟蛛（Lasiodora parahybana）是一种来自巴西热带雨林的大型蜘蛛。它是世界上最大的捕鸟蛛之一，腿展可达10英寸（25厘米）。它的名字来源于其身体上的三文鱼粉色毛发以及捕食小鸟的能力，但它主要以昆虫和其他小动物为食。
多大年龄？
这种蜘蛛是现生种类。这个物种已经存在了数百万年，但这只特定的蜘蛛可能最近才出生。
它是什么样的？
这种捕鸟蛛是捕食者。它在夜间捕猎，用毒液麻痹猎物。当受到威胁时，它会用后腿将腹部的刺激性毛发抛向攻击者。这些毛发会刺激皮肤和眼睛。尽管体型庞大，它通常性情温和，对人类不太危险。
为什么重要？
这种捕鸟蛛很重要，因为它是其生态系统中的顶级捕食者，有助于控制昆虫和小型动物的数量。由于体型大且性情温和，它在宠物贸易中也很受欢迎。研究它有助于科学家了解蜘蛛的行为和毒液。
联系
下一步寻找
- 找一只来自其他大陆（如非洲或亚洲）的捕鸟蛛。
- 寻找一种用网捕猎而不是在地面捕猎的蜘蛛。
- 比较这只捕鸟蛛与博物馆里更小的蜘蛛的大小。