Mexican rustleg tarantula  (Brachypelma boehmei)

Listed on Appendix II of CITES (1).

Only described in 1993 (2), this stunning spider from southwest Mexico resembles its better known relative, Brachypelma smithi (Mexican redknee tarantula) in its dramatic orange and black colouration (3). The black femora (upper legs) provide a dark dividing band between the rich orange colour of the carapace and lower legs. Unlike the orange joints of Brachypelma smithi, the beautifully coloured legs of this species are a bright, ‘fiery’ red on the patellae (knees), fading gradually to a paler orange further down and tipped by black tarsi (feet) (4). Although not particularly defensive, a nervous temperament means this spider does not hesitate to flick urticating hairs at the slightest irritation (5).

Native to Mexico, where it is found along the central Pacific coast from Michoacan State to western Guerrero State (6).

The Mexican rustleg tarantula prefers dry scrubland, and is found in burrows, either self-made or abandoned rodent or lizard burrows, usually under rocks or fallen logs (2).

Tarantulas of this genus are long-lived, with males reaching maturity at seven to eight years, females at nine to ten. While males only live up to a year after their final moult, females may live for a further ten years. Sub-adults and adults moult at the end of the dry season (November to June), after which males begin their search for mating females. The egg-sac is laid after the female moults, and hatches three to four weeks before the rainy season begins (4). Mexican rustleg tarantulas tend to be active after dark, but can also be active during daylight, particularly in the morning and evening (2).

As with other Brachypelma species from the west coast of Mexico, this species makes a popular pet due to its docility and vivid colours, sadly leading to its over collection from the wild. The illegal pet trade, together with the ongoing destruction of natural habitat and its high mortality rate before sexual maturity, causes considerable concern for the future of this tarantula (4).

To regulate its commercial trade across borders, this species has been listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In Mexico, permits are required to collect or remove any spider of the theraphosid family (6), and the Mexican rustleg tarantula is now frequently bred in captivity, reducing the need to collect it from the wild (4).

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

For further information on the Mexican rustleg tarantula see:

• Locht, A., Yáñez, M. and Vázquez, I. (1999) Distribution and natural history of Mexican species of Brachypelma and Brachypelmides (Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae) with morphological evidence to support their synonymy. The Journal of Arachnology, 27(1): 196-200.