Tarantulas are lycosides.
Tarantula is a term that comes from the Latin word tarantŭla , which in turn derives from Tarentum . This notion, on the other hand, refers to the Italian town of Taranto ( Apulia region ).
The term is used to name spiders that are part of the family of lycosids . These arachnids live in large numbers in the Taranto area due to the city 's climate: hence their name.
Characteristics of tarantulas
Tarantulas are characterized by their rounded abdomen and hairy thorax. They are poisonous spiders, whose bite causes swelling, although it is not as serious for people as was believed in ancient times.
Popular belief held that a tarantula bite caused tarantism : a convulsive agitation with deep discomfort. Tradition indicated that, to combat tarantism, one had to perform frenetic movements known as taranta . Over time , a dance that imitated these movements was named tarantella .
Tarantulas are poisonous.
A lycoside
The term tarantula usually refers specifically to the Lycosa tarantula . This animal , which can measure about 30 millimeters in length, lives in caves and among rocks. Females, larger than males, can live about four years, while males only live half that time.
The family of lycosids , of araneomorph spiders (a suborder of spiders characterized by having chelicerae arranged diagonally, which intersect at their ends) includes the aforementioned Lycosa , which in the European continent are generally known as tarantulas, although this is not entirely correct and can lead to certain confusions.
Analyzing the etymology of the term lycos we discover that it is a term of Greek origin that can be translated as "wolf" , and this is reflected in the name that this family has received in more than one language, such as English, in which they are known as wolf spiders . As mentioned above, spiders belonging to this family are often called tarantula in everyday speech.
Thanks to their venom , tarantulas can hunt their prey. When a tarantula bites a human , it can cause inflammation, as we said above, but not major complications.
The tarantula as a pet
Not all humans are afraid of tarantulas; in fact, some decide to keep them as pets, even though this deprives them of their freedom, just as it happens with fish, iguanas and mice, since they are kept trapped in small glass structures.
Although they would not be able to escape from a cage, their "guardians" prefer glass in many cases to protect themselves from the attack of some genera, such as Brachypelma and Grammostola , which consist of launching stinging hairs to defend themselves from their predators , and which can cause serious discomfort to the epidermis, inflame the mucous membranes if they enter through the nostrils or great damage if they come into contact with the eyes.
Regarding its diet, the tarantula can hunt a wide variety of insects, including cockroaches and grasshoppers, but is also capable of killing certain rodents. The high protein content of its diet is a key point for successful shedding, and also helps it to remain without food for a period of up to five days.
The change of exoskeleton
The tarantula usually changes its exoskeleton twice a year, and this is a very delicate phenomenon, especially if it does not live in its natural habitat .
When this process does not take place correctly, usually due to inappropriate human intervention, the animal can lose its life. One of the most important factors is temperature: the tarantula prefers heat, and it is essential to reproduce as closely as possible the climate it needs to survive.