Grammostola

Grammostola
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Male Grammostola porteri
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Family:	Theraphosidae
Subfamily:	Theraphosinae
Genus:	Grammostola Simon, 1892
Species
see text
Diversity
20 species

Grammostola is a genus of the tarantula family, Theraphosidae, being native to tropical South America.

These spiders are medium to large in size and usually brown in color, with pinkish or orangish-red hairs. The very docile Chilean Rose Tarantula (Grammostola porteri) is popular as a beginner's spider among tarantula enthusiasts.

Species

• Grammostola actaeon (Pocock, 1903) — Brazil, Uruguay (Brazilian red-rump)
• Grammostola alticeps (Pocock, 1903) — Uruguay (Brazilian Greysmoke)
• Grammostola andreleetzi Vol, 2008 — Uruguay
• Grammostola pulchripes Schmidt & Bullmer, 2001 — Paraguay, Argentina (Chaco Golden Knee)
• Grammostola burzaquensis Ibarra, 1946 — Argentina (Argentinian Rose)
• Grammostola chalcothrix Chamberlin, 1917 — Argentina (Argentina Bronze)
• Grammostola doeringi (Holmberg, 1881) — Argentina
• Grammostola fossor Schmidt, 2001 — Argentina
• Grammostola gossei (Pocock, 1899) — Argentina
• Grammostola grossa (Ausserer, 1871) — Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina (Pampas Tawny-red)
• Grammostola iheringi (Keyserling, 1891) — Brazil (Entre Rios)
• Grammostola inermis Mello-Leitão, 1941 — Argentina
• Grammostola mendozae (Strand, 1907) — Argentina
• Grammostola mollicoma (Ausserer, 1875) — Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina (Brazilian Tawny-red)
• Grammostola monticola (Strand, 1907) — Bolivia
• Grammostola porteri (Mello-Leitão, 1936) — Chile
• Grammostola pulchra Mello-Leitão, 1921 — Brazil (Brazilian Black)
• Grammostola rosea (Walckenaer, 1837) — Bolivia, Chile, Argentina (Chilean Rose)
• Grammostola schulzei (Schmidt, 1994) — Argentina
• Grammostola vachoni Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1961 — Argentina

Gallery

• Grammostola cf. porteri adult male.jpg

  Grammostola porteri NCF

• Grammostola rosea adult weiblich.jpg

  Grammostola rosea RCF

• Grammostola pulchra (aka).jpg

  Grammostola pulchra

• Grammostola pulchripes L9 female OnAHand.jpg

  Grammostola pulchripes (aureostriata)

Grammostola as a pet

The Chilean Rose (Grammostola rosea) is a common pet, its behavior being generally docile and its venom very mild. It needs to be kept dry and dislikes being wet (its natural habitat being one of the driest deserts on earth). If the substrate is too wet, it will stand "on tiptoes" in discomfort, or climb the sides of its enclosure, risking fall and injury. It feeds on other invertebrates. Its attributes and care are similar to those of its relative The Chaco Golden Knee. (Grammostola pulchripes).

Resources

• tarantula checklist
• [1]
• Photos of Grammostola species in tarantulas gallery.

References

• Platnick, Norman I. (2009): The world spider catalog, version 9.5. American Museum of Natural History.