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Table of Contents
Tarantula is often understood as a large spider with a “hairy” body and legs.
See the fact file below for more information on the tarantula or alternatively, you can download our 24-page Tarantula worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
INTRODUCTION
- Tarantulas are a group of large and “hairy” spiders of the Theraphosidae family.
- Spider “hairs” are not true hairs but are setae (singular seta). Setae, in biology, are to bristle-like or hair-like structures on living organisms.
- Tarantulas are invertebrates and they rely on an exoskeleton for muscular support.
- The body of a tarantula is comprised of two main parts: the prosoma or cephalothorax, and the abdomen or opisthosoma.
- The prosoma and the abdomen of a tarantula is connected by the pedicel or pregenital somite.
- The size of a tarantula can range from as small as a BB pellet for an air gun to as large as a dinner plate.
- Most of the species of tarantulas that are found in North America are brown. However, some species found show a hint of cobalt blue, black and white stripes, yellow leg markings, and metallic blue legs.
ETYMOLOGY
- The original spider that carried the name “tarantula” was the Lycosa tarantula, a species of wolf spider native to Mediterranean Europe.
- The term “tarantula” was derived from the southern Italian town called Taranto.
TAXONOMY
- Tarantulas belong to the family Theraphosidae. The Theraphosidae family is a family of large chiefly tropical spiders with four (4) spinnerets (a spinneret is a silk-spinning organ).
- The family Theraphosidae belongs to the clade Avicularioidea which is a clade of the infraorder Mygalomorphae, an infraorder of spiders.
- The infraorder Mygalomorphae belongs to the Araneae order under the Arachnida class.
- Arachnida is a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals, also known as arthropods, under the Chelicerata subphylum. This class includes orders containing spiders, scorpions, mites, and solifugae.
CHARACTERISTICS
- The mouth of a tarantula can be found under its chelicerae which is located on the lower front area of its prosoma.
- The mouth of a tarantula is short and has a straw-shaped opening, thus it can only take in liquid forms by means of sucking.
- The stomach of a tarantula is a tube that runs along the length of its body.
- Due to the limitations in the capability of a tarantula’s mouth, prey with solid parts like mice should be crushed and predigested, this is usually done by coating the solid parts with the digestive juices coming from the chelicerae of the tarantula.
- The brain of a tarantula is located on the bottom part of its inner prosoma (cephalothorax).
- Although tarantulas have eight (8) eyes like other spiders, the keenest sense of a tarantula is not its sight but its sense of touch.
- Tarantulas also perceive their surroundings through their setae.
- The setae of a tarantula are used to sense chemical presence such as pheromones, vibrations, and wind direction.
- Tarantulas all have two (2) sets of book lungs.
- A book lung is a type of a respiratory/breathing organ which is used for atmospheric gas exchange. Book lungs are usually present in many arachnids including spiders and scorpions.
- The first set can be found inside a cavity that is located inside the lower front area of the abdomen that is near to the connection of the abdomen to the prosoma.
- The second set can be found on the back part of the abdomen.
- The heart of a tarantula is a long, slender tube that can be found along the top of the opisthosoma.
- The protosoma of a tarantulas has many appendages – its eight legs, two chelicerae with fangs, and the pedipalps.
- The chelicerae contain the venom glands that go through the fangs.
- The pedipalps are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates that are located near the mouth.
LIFE CYCLE
- Tarantulas, like other spiders, have to shed their exoskeleton periodically in order to grow. This process is called molting.
- Tarantulas may live for years. Some species take around two (2) to five (5) years to reach adulthood, but others may take up to ten (10) years.
- Once a female tarantula has reached sexual maturity, it normally mates and lays eggs once every year.
- The mechanics of intercourse of tarantulas are just like with other spiders. The male spider will weave a web mat on a flat surface then it rubs its abdomen on the weaved web mat which releases a quantity of semen. After that, the male spider will then insert its pedipalps into the pool of released semen and keep them viable until a mate can be found.
- Once a mate has been found, the male spider will insert its pedipalps into the opening located in the lower part of the abdomen of the female spider, and then the male spider will transfer its semen to the body of the female spider.
OTHER FACTS
- There are approximately 900 species of tarantula.
- The jaws of a tarantula move up and down instead of the more common side-to-side motion for other spiders.
- Some notable tarantula species are:
- Chilean Rose Hair
- Cobalt Blue
- Pink Toe
- Goliath Bird-Eating
- Tiger Spider
Tarantula Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the tarantula across 24 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Tarantula worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the tarantula which is often understood as a large spider with a “hairy” body and legs.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Tarantula Facts
- Additional
- Identify
- Find
- Four
- Cycle
- How?
- Arachnida
- Color
- Spot!
- Own
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Link will appear as Tarantula Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, January 3, 2021
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.