Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula

Lasiodora parahybana

Order: Araneae

Family: Therophosidae

Genus: Lasiodora

The Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater is one of the largest tarantulas in the world, known for its impressive size and pinkish hairs that contrast against its dark brown to black body. Adult females can reach 25 to 28 centimetres (10 to 11 inches) in leg span and weigh over 100 grams. Males are typically more slender and have longer legs but are shorter-lived. The species gets its common name from the salmon-coloured setae (hairs) on the legs and abdomen.

Despite the name, this tarantula does not regularly prey on birds—the term "birdeater" is historical and refers to the group’s large size and power rather than its typical diet.

Conservation Status: IUCN

Distribution

Native to the state of Paraíba in northeastern Brazil, in the Atlantic Forest biome—a hotspot of biodiversity under increasing pressure from human activity.

Habitat

Primarily terrestrial and fossorial, living in humid, tropical forest environments. Prefers leaf litter, forest floor crevices, and burrows, often dug into soft soil or under natural debris. High humidity and moderate temperatures are critical to its survival.

Diet

Carnivorous. Feeds on a variety of invertebrates and small vertebrates, including crickets, cockroaches, worms, lizards, and small rodents. Uses its strong fangs to inject venom and digestive enzymes into prey, then ingests the liquified tissue.

Although capable of overpowering small birds in theory, this is not typical of its diet in either captivity or the wild.

Reproduction

After a complex courtship ritual, the male deposits sperm into a specialized silk structure and transfers it to the female. The female lays an egg sac containing up to 1,000 eggs, which she guards in her burrow. Spiderlings hatch after 6–8 weeks and remain with the female for a short time.

Females can live up to 15 to 20 years, while males generally live 2 to 4 years post-maturity.

This spider is solitary, and only comes in contact with others of its species during mating. Males can be distinguished from females by the mating hooks located on the first set of legs. Females also tend to be larger. Once the male is sexually mature, he will spin a small area of silk, onto which he deposits his sperm. He then sucks the sperm up into his pedipalps (feelers), and heads out in search of a willing female. If he finds a receptive mate, the male uses his mating hooks to restrain the female’s fangs, and proceeds with copulation by injecting the sperm into her genital openings with his pedipalps. After mating, the male must make a very fast retreat, or be killed by the female, becoming one of the almost 50% of males that will not survive mating. Tarantulas do not spin webs, but do produce silk. The female lays up to 2000 eggs in a thick, silken sac, approximately three months after breeding. She will guard this sac fiercely, and incubation lasts approximately three weeks, after which time the white spiderlings are born. Females will guard offspring for several months. Young are voracious feeders, eating lots and often. As a result the babies grow very quickly, up to 15.24 cm in the first year. Females can live up to 15 years in the wild, while males will expire shortly after reaching sexual maturity.

Adaptation

Urticating hairs can be kicked off the abdomen as a defensive measure, causing irritation to skin or eyes
Large size and strength allow it to overpower prey many times its size
Nocturnal behaviour helps it avoid predators and conserve moisture
Cryptic colouring and burrowing provide effective camouflage and protection
Fang size (can exceed 2 cm) allows deep envenomation and fast prey immobilization

Bird-eating spiders have downward pointing hollow fangs, which are used to inject venom into their prey. Once the fluid enters the body of the victim, it begins to partially digest the animal, which enables the spider to consume its liquefied meal, by sucking the food through its mouth.

This species of tarantula is not a burrower like other “bird-eaters”, but instead prefers to spend most of its time out in the open. As a result, it is an extremely aggressive animal, and very quick to defend itself. Other than the spider wasp (whose paralyzing sting, the bird-eating spider is defenseless against), parasites, and parasitoids, this spider has no real enemies. If it is being pursued by a potential foe, the spider rubs its legs against its abdomen, kicking tiny, barbed hairs which become imbedded into the attacker and cause great irritation, being especially dangerous if they become lodged in the eyes. If this urticating defense does not deter an enemy, the spider will bite with no hesitation. The venom of the bird-eating spider is not especially harmful to humans; however the small hairs that cover the spider’s body can be an irritant, and cause painful swelling if they get imbedded in one’s skin.

During molting, the spider spins a patch of silk, which it uses to flip itself onto its back. After the molt is complete, which can take a number of days, the spider’s senses, including sight, hearing and touch, are suspended and the spider will remain motionless for several hours. This is because the newly exposed skin is very delicate, and it will take several days for the new exoskeleton to fully harden.

If the spider loses one of its legs, it is capable of re-growing the lost appendage, which begins as a small stump and then grows larger with each molting.

Threats to Survival

The bird-eating spider is quite common; however the destruction of the rainforests is affecting the animal’s numbers.

Deforestation and habitat loss in Brazil's Atlantic Forest
Collection for the exotic pet trade, although captive breeding has reduced this
Human persecution due to fear of large spiders
Climate instability could affect humidity and prey availability in native habitat