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Eleven “Tarantulas” Will Be Considered for Endangered Species Act Listing

Date
December 3, 2013
Contact
Taylor Jones (505) 490-5141
In This Release
Wildlife  
#EndangeredSpeciesAct
Washington, DC –The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) announced today that eleven species of parachute spider (sold as “tarantulas” in the pet trade) may need the protection of the Endangered Species Act to escape extinction. The Service is beginning a 12-month review process to determine whether to list these species under the Act.

“Endangered Species Act protections will mean security for these spiders in their forest homes,” said Taylor Jones, Endangered Species Advocate for WildEarth Guardians. “The pet trade is driving these beautiful creatures to extinction and it’s our responsibility to stop it.”

These large,colorful, and ornate spiders are native to India and Sri Lanka. Spider enthusiasts drive the trade in these species in many countries, including the United States. A single adult can sell for $250 U.S. dollars, a strong incentive to collect them from the wild. The metallic-blue, jewel-like peacock parachute spider (Poecilotheria metallica) is in particularly high demand.

Habitat destruction,small populations, and fragmented ranges threaten all the species. Local people also intentionally kill some species due to myths about the effects of their poison.

The protections of the Act would help eliminate the part played by the United States in the illegal trade in these spiders, and focus attention on their plight. Listing species under the Endangered Species Act has proven an effective safety net:more than 99 percent of plants and animals listed persist today. The law is especially important as a bulwark against the current extinction crisis; plants and animals are disappearing at a rate much higher than the natural rate of extinction due to human activities. Listing species outside the U.S. can both protect the species domestically by preventing illegal imports, and help focus U.S. resources toward enforcement of international regulation and recovery of the species.

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The Genus Poecilotheria

All species in the genus Poecilotheria are arboreal (tree-dwelling). They prefer wooded areas and tree holes in tropical and subtropical forests. Poecilotheria species have short lifespans, ranging from 12-15 months for male maturation and14-18 months for female maturation. Average post-adult female age is 60-85months. These species experience high mortality rates prior to maturation and have low reproductive rates for an arachnid (averaging 100 eggs annually)

They do not use webs; rather, they attack prey from hiding places (tree holes, tree trunks, tree bark), and inject venom to immobilize it.

The Eleven Petitioned Species

Indian Species

Poecilotheria formosa. This species lives in just three sites in two areas of the southern Eastern Ghats in southern India. Its total range is less than 1930 square miles. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the species as “endangered.”

Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica. This species is restricted to a few plantations in the Ramanthapuram district of southern India.It has been recorded from eight subpopulations that vary in size from 4 to 78individuals. The IUCN considers the species “critically endangered.”

Poecilotheria metallica. These metallic-blue spiders inhabit a single location in Andhra Pradesh, India. They require deep crevices and cavities in old-growth forests. The IUCN considers them “critically endangered.”

Poecilotheria miranda. Described as rare, this species was recorded in only a few locations in the Chhota Nagpur region of northeast India.The IUCN considers the species “endangered.”

Poecilotheria rufilata. This species lives only in the southern Western Ghats, in southern India, and is reported from six isolated locations. The IUCN considers the species “endangered.”

Poecilotheria striata. These spiders are found in the Western Ghats just north and south of the Palghat gap, in southern India. They have been reported from fewer than 10 isolated locations, with abundance varying depending on the habitat. The IUCN considers the species “vulnerable.”

Sri Lankan Species

Poecilotheria fasciata. Historically, this species is known from eight locations in central Sri Lanka. Scientists found three individuals during a 2003-2005 survey of Sri Lankan Poecilotheria.

Poecilotheria ornate. These spiders historically lived in five locations in southern Sri Lanka. Scientists found six individuals during a 2003-2005 survey of Sri Lankan Poecilotheria. IUCN Sri Lanka categorizes this species as “near threatened.”

Poecilotheria pederseni. This species lives only in the Hambantota District of Sri Lanka. Scientists found six individuals during a2003-2005 survey of Sri Lankan Poecilotheria.

Poecilotheria smithi. The species lives in two locations—Haragama and Kandy—in south central Sri Lanka. Scientists found none during a 2003-2005survey of Sri Lankan Poecilotheria. IUCN Sri Lanka considers this species “vulnerable.”

Poecilotheria subfusca. Historically, this species inhabited seven locations in south-central Sri Lanka. Scientists found 20 individuals during a 2003-2005 survey of Sri Lankan Poecilotheria. IUCN Sri Lanka categorizes this species as “near threatened.”