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Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy arachnids belonging to the Theraphosidae family of spiders, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. This article only describes members of Theraphosidae, although some other members of the same suborder are commonly referred to as "tarantulas". Most species of tarantulas are not dangerous to humans, and some species have become popular in the exotic pet trade. ==Overview== Like all arthropods, the tarantula is an invertebrate that relies on an exoskeleton for muscular support. Like other Arachnida a tarantula’s body comprises two main parts, the prosoma (or cephalothorax) and the opisthosoma (or abdomen). The prosoma and opisthosoma are connected by the pedicel, or pregenital somite. This waist-like connecting piece is actually part of the prosoma and allows the opisthosoma to move in a wide range of motion relative to the prosoma. Tarantulas sizes range from as small as a fingernail to as large as a dinner plate when the legs are fully extended. Depending on the species, the body length of tarantulas ranges from , with leg spans of . Leg span is determined by measuring from the tip of the back leg to the tip of the front leg on the opposite side. Some of the largest species of tarantula may weigh over ; the largest of all, the goliath birdeater (''Theraphosa blondi'') from Venezuela and Brazil, has been reported to attain a weight of and a leg-span of up to , males being longer and females greater in girth. ''Theraphosa apophysis'' (the pinkfoot goliath) was described 187 years after the goliath birdeater; therefore its characteristics are not as well attested.''Theraphosa blondi'' is generally thought to be the heaviest tarantula, and ''T. apophysis'' to have the greatest leg span. Two other species, ''Lasiodora parahybana'' (the Brazilian salmon birdeater) and ''Lasiodora klugi'', rival the size of the two goliath spiders. Most species of North American tarantulas are brown. Elsewhere species have been found that variously display cobalt blue (''Haplopelma lividum''), black with white stripes (''Aphonopelma seemanni''), yellow leg markings (''Eupalaestrus campestratus''), metallic blue legs with vibrant orange abdomen and greenbottle blue (''Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens''). Their natural habitats include savanna, grasslands such as the pampas, rainforests, deserts, scrubland, mountains, and cloud forests. They are generally classed among the terrestrial types. They are burrowers that live in the ground. Tarantulas are becoming increasingly popular as pets and some species are readily available in captivity. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「tarantula」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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