Phormictopus auratus, commonly known as the Cuban bronze tarantula, is a species of tarantula endemic to Cuba. It is found in the provinces of Camagüey, Las Tunas and Holguín.[1] It was first described by David Ortiz and Rogério Bertani in 2005, and was named after golden hairs found in this species, auratus meaning golden in Latin.
| Phormictopus auratus | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Clade: | Avicularioidea |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Phormictopus |
| Species: | P. auratus
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| Binomial name | |
| Phormictopus auratus | |
Description
editFemales live up to 15 years, while males only live from 4 to 5. It is unmistakable for any tarantula in its genus, in a great part thanks to those golden coloration. Somehow it has been mistaken for other species in the genus.[2] Their carapace is a golden color, alongside the legs, which are mostly covered in greyish hairs. The opisthosoma is black covered in grayish hairs, though this hairs alongside the ones of the legs may look blue in certain lighting conditions.
Habitat
editThey can be found in Cuba in Las Tunas, Holguín and Camagüey, the latter being the one this section will be referring to. The average temperatures are 26 °C, with average yearly rainfall of 587mm.[3] With plants such as Ceiba, Guásima and Yagruma.
Behavior
editThis tarantula is terrestrial, they burrow quite a bit, and are usually out of their hides, wandering about. They aren't by any means shy and are capable of moving quite fast, making them a bit scarier than most New World tarantulas.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Phormictopus auratus". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
- ^ a b "Cuban Bronze Tarantula (Phormictopus auratus) Care". The Tarantula Collective. Retrieved 2022-06-29.
- ^ "El clima en Camagüey, el tiempo por mes, temperatura promedio (Cuba) - Weather Spark". es.weatherspark.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-06-29.
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