Nopeland Discovery: the Blog

Most of the countless spider myths circulating around are about wild spiders.  With a few exceptions (such as the mostly false idea that a spider found inside a building can't survive if relocated outside), these myths are also mainly found among people who fear or dislike spiders, often largely consolidating their loathing of these arachnids. It may be surprising, then, to realise that even circles where spiders are admired and appreciated aren't immune to false beliefs and urban legends. It's hard to imagine a community that loves them more than tarantula keepers; yet, even there, myths and scaremongering occasionally show their ugly faces.   A few species, although popular in the hobby, have quite a sinister reputation due to their defensive attitude and nasty bites. One, in particular, stands out.  Pterinochilus murinus  has been a staple in the tarantula hobby for decades. Its gorgeous colours and patterns, many different colour forms, as well as its ease o...

The darkest of nights: midnight in the Brazilian rainforest. At ground level, the jungle is dusky even during the day, when sunlight barely peers through the dense canopy; after sunset, though, it is pitch black. A rustle in the leaves; a predator on the prowl. Perfectly equipped for night hunting, he navigates the inky darkness with ease. The three-striped opossum may only be as big as a mouse, but he is nonetheless a bug's worst nightmare. As this tiny terror tirelessly patrols the forest floor, his teeth make short work of any arthropod he encounters.  Coming down from a tree root, our little hunter freezes. His steps led him to a sinister-looking hole in the ground, where obscurity somehow appears even thicker than around it. Near the hole, the forest floor feels strangely soft under his paws, as if covered with some sort of mat. Even though no distinct smell or sound exhales from it, it seems to radiate a diffuse, looming threat. Better not stay here. Sudden and overwhelming, ...

Tarantula. A famous word for a famous animal. Everyone knows what a tarantula is: it's a massive, impressive, hairy spider.  What typically comes to mind when one thinks "tarantula" is a large Theraphosid spider, such as this  Lasiodora parahybana Nowadays, the spiders colloquially known as "tarantulas" are species in the family Theraphosidae, which is the most diverse (with over 1100 described species ) and the most famous family of the infra-order Mygalomorphae . The smallest Theraphosidae species are about 10 mm long, which is not small by spider standards, and most of them are large to very large. The largest representatives of this family, species in the genus Theraphosa , are the largest and heaviest spiders on Earth, which can reach up to 12 cm in body length and 170g in body mass. Besides their often impressive size, many Theraphosidae sport beautiful colours and patterns, and many New World taxa, such as species in the genera Tliltocatl , Brachypelma , ...