Aphonopelma marxi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aphonopelma marxi |
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Aphonopelma marxi is a fascinating type of spider that belongs to the tarantula family. You can find this spider in the United States, specifically in states like Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. Some spiders once thought to be different species, like Aphonopelma behlei and A. vogelae, are now known to be the same as Aphonopelma marxi.
What Does It Look Like?
Aphonopelma marxi is usually dark brown or black. It is also very hairy! It often has some orange or red hairs on its back part, called the abdomen.
Adult male spiders are smaller than females. A male's upper body shell, called the carapace, is about 8.3 to 10.5 millimeters long. Females are bigger, with a carapace from 13.5 to 15.3 millimeters long. A full-grown female spider, including its mouthparts, can be about 35 millimeters long.
You can tell A. marxi apart from other spiders in the same areas by its dark color and how hairy it is. Its size and where it lives also help scientists identify it.
Spider Family Tree
This spider was first described in 1891 by a scientist named Eugène Simon. He first called it Eurypelma marxi. Later, in 1995, another scientist, Andrew M. Smith, moved it to the group of spiders we now call Aphonopelma.
Scientists sometimes find that spiders they thought were different species are actually the same. This happened with A. behlei and A. vogelae. In 2016, studies showed they were the same as A. marxi.
Aphonopelma marxi is part of a special group called the "Marxi species group." These spiders are mostly black and often live in high places, like mountains. Other spiders in this group include A. catalina and A. chiricahua.
Where Does It Live?
Aphonopelma marxi lives in the "Four Corners" area of the United States. This is where the corners of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah meet. It likes to live in places that are higher up, like mountains.
You can find this spider in different types of homes. It lives in forests with many kinds of pine trees. It also lives in areas with lots of sagebrush plants. Even though scientists say it's "very common," it's hard to find. This is because it usually stays hidden in its burrow underground. Finding the burrows of any spider in the Marxi species group is very tricky!
See also
In Spanish: Aphonopelma marxi para niños
