Desert tarantula A male desert tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes). (more) desert tarantula spider Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/desert-tarantula Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites Animal Diversity Web - Desert tarantula Livescience - Desert Tarantulas: Photos of the Amazing Arachnids of the Sonoran Desert Britannica Websites Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. desert tarantula - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up) Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Aphonopelma chalcodes, desert blonde tarantula, western desert tarantula Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Mar 26, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot Also called: western desert tarantula or desert blonde tarantula (Show more) { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Where is the desert tarantula native to? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The desert tarantula is native to arid regions of Arizona, New Mexico, California, and northern Mexico." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " Are desert tarantulas dangerous to humans? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Desert tarantulas are venomous and can deliver a painful bite, but they are not considered to be dangerous to humans and are not easily provoked." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the physical appearance of a desert tarantula? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "The desert tarantula is chocolate brown or gray, covered with golden hairs, and has a body length of up to 7 cm (2.75 inches). Males have longer legs and a more slender body than females." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What is the diet of the desert tarantula? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Desert tarantulas are nocturnal ambush predators that prey on insects, lizards, and other small animals." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How long can a female desert tarantula live? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "A female desert tarantula can live for more than 20 years." } } ] } Top Questions Where is the desert tarantula native to? The desert tarantula is native to arid regions of Arizona, New Mexico, California, and northern Mexico.
Are desert tarantulas dangerous to humans? Desert tarantulas are venomous and can deliver a painful bite, but they are not considered to be dangerous to humans and are not easily provoked.
What is the physical appearance of a desert tarantula? The desert tarantula is chocolate brown or gray, covered with golden hairs, and has a body length of up to 7 cm (2.75 inches). Males have longer legs and a more slender body than females.
What is the diet of the desert tarantula? Desert tarantulas are nocturnal ambush predators that prey on insects, lizards, and other small animals.
How long can a female desert tarantula live? A female desert tarantula can live for more than 20 years.
desert tarantula, (Aphonopelma chalcodes), large hairy North American spider native to arid regions of Arizona, New Mexico, California, and northern Mexico. The taxonomy of the genus is contentious, and some experts limit this species to the populations in the Arizona region of the Sonoran Desert. Although desert tarantulas are venomous and can deliver a painful bite, they are not considered to be dangerous to humans and are not easily provoked. They are sometimes kept as docile pets. Taxonomy See also list of arachnids. The desert tarantula is chocolate brown or gray and is covered with golden hairs, including stinging, or ...(100 of 547 words)
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