Mexican Red-rump Tarantula
Tliltocatl vagans
This record describes Tliltocatl vagans (species). Recorded family: Theraphosidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Tliltocatl vagans (synonym Brachypelma vagans) is a species of tarantula known commonly as the Mexican red rump. It ranges predominantly in Mexico (including the Yucatán Peninsula), but is also found in Central America. They are terrestrial, burrowing spiders. The reason for the name red rump is because of its distinctive red hairs on its abdomen. Like most tarantulas, they will eat anything they can overpower, which is usually insects, but small lizards and rodents may also...
Wikipedia reference for Tliltocatl vagans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tliltocatl vagans.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Theraphosidae (Tarantulas)
- Genus
- Tliltocatl
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Only species of tarantula found east of the Mississippi River. There is an introduced population of Brachypelma vagans in central Florida, but this species is indigenous to southern Mexico and Belize
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: (Ausserer, 1875)
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Tliltocatl vagans. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.
Ecological role of the group
Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.
Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Mexican Red-rump Tarantula (10)
Photo credits: Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by metrioptera , Laura P.