Cyriopagopus albostriatus

Cyriopagopus albostriatus, commonly known as Thailand zebra leg tarantula (also Thailand black velvet tarantula or Thailand earth tiger), is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia.[1]

Cyriopagopus albostriatus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Theraphosidae
Genus: Cyriopagopus
Species:
C. albostriatus
Binomial name
Cyriopagopus albostriatus
(Simon, 1886)[1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Selenocosmia albostriata Simon, 1886
  • Melopoeus albostriatus (Simon, 1886)
  • Haplopelma albostriatum (Simon, 1886)

Name

Its name comes from the Latin prefix albo, meaning white, and the Latin word striatus, meaning lines or striped.

Description

It is a moderately large fossorial species, which spends most of its time in a burrow.

This species has white stripes going down each leg, and a white zig-zag pattern on its opisthosoma (abdomen). These patterns on a black background have earned it the common name Thai zebra tarantula. This tarantula is very skittish and defensive, although it can also be very aggressive. It is an Old World tarantula, so has no urticating hairs; its only defenses are biting and fleeing. This tarantula is known to have more potent venom than many tarantula species.

As food

Cyriopagopus albostriatus is edible and used as food. When fried, these spiders are sold on the streets of Cambodia.[2] Cooked correctly, C. albostriatus is high in protein.

References
  1. "Taxon details Cyriopagopus albostriatus (Simon, 1886)". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2017-03-18.
  2. Freeman, Michael (2004). Cambodia. Reaktion Books. ISBN 1-86189-186-5.


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