Why is it important to use the scientific name when buying a pet tarantula?
In the tarantula pet trade there are common names for pet spiders that vary depending on region, preference, and what the breeders and importers decide to call them. Ensure you are picking the pet tarantula you want by using its scientific name. Scientific nomenclature for pet tarantulas is sometimes described as the ‘Latin names for Tarantulas’ but that is a misnomer. Although many scientific names are based on Latin words this is not always the case. An example is when Steven Colbert had the Aptostichus stephencolberti species of trapdoor spider (pronounced with the last t silent) named after him.
Tarantulas follow the binomial nomenclature system which is used to ensure all species of animals have a globally recognized and unique name. Scientific names help you understand the taxonomy of tarantulas and are used to describe how animal species relate to each other.
Scientific names have two parts. The first part is the generic epithet, or the genus name, which gives you a basic idea of the type of tarantula. The second part is the specific epithet, or the species name, which tells you the exact type of tarantula.
The taxonomy of spiders is always changing so you will see scientific names change on occasion. As more tarantula species are studied and described the relationships between tarantulas are being reassessed. This list is current as of this writing and gives the scientific name for common pet tarantulas.
Scientific Names for Common Pet Tarantulas
Scientific Name for Common Pet Tarantulas Number One:
Common Names: Rosehair Tarantula, Rosehair, Rosie Tarantula, and Chilean Rose Tarantula.
Scientific Name: Grammostola rosea
Grammostola rosea is in the genus Grammostola with the species name being rosea. If the species name is not known you may see scientific names written with the genus name followed by ‘sp.’; for example Grammostola sp.
Scientific Name for Common Pet Tarantulas Number Two:
Common Names: Cobalt Blue Tarantula, Cobalt Blue, and the pretty blue tarantula that hides.
Scientific Name: Haplopelma lividum
You may notice that the genus name is capitalized but the species name is lowercase. This is the correct way to write the scientific name of a tarantula.
Scientific Name for Common Pet Tarantulas Number Three:
Common Names: Goliath Bird-Eater, Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula, Bird Eating Tarantula, Goliath Tarantula and the really big tarantula that can eat birds.
Scientific Name: Theraphosa blondi
Scientific Name for Common Pet Tarantulas Number Four:
Common Names: Pinktoe, Guyana Pinktoe and Pinktoe Tarantula
Scientific Name: Avicularia avicularia
Scientific Name for Common Pet Tarantulas Number Five:
Common Names: Versicolor Tarantula, Versicolor, Antilles Pinktoe, and the beautiful display tarantula.
Scientific Name: Avicularia versicolor
Both Avicularia avicularia and Avicularia versicolor belong to the Avicularia genus. They are very similar tarantulas but vary enough to be different species of the Avicularia genus of tarantulas.
Scientific Name for Common Pet Tarantulas Number Six:
Common Names: Usambara Orange, Sunburst Baboon, OBT which could stand for Orange Bitey Tarantula or Orange Bitey Thing.
Scientific Name: Pterinochilus murinus
Sources:
Adam Jansen, http://www.ajexotics.com
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/animal_names/scientific_name.html
http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2008/08/01/2008-08-01_california_spider_named_for_stephen_colb.html
