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Predation and Other Interactions

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New World Tarantulas

Part of the book series: Zoological Monographs ((ZM,volume 6))

Abstract

Theraphosids interact with numerous species from invertebrates to humans. Their diet predominantly consists of insects, spiders, and worms; however, their prey cover a wide range of taxa, including mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and even the very toxic poison dart frogs. Practically blind, they detect prey by vibrations and may also use odors. Their predatory activity may affect the distribution of other predatory species such as other spiders or scorpions. Furthermore, predation may include cannibalism between females. Despite a variety of antipredatory strategies—which include urticating hairs, burrows, or special coloration—theraphosids are preyed on by vertebrates such as coatis and also by some invertebrates. Parasitoid hawk wasps hunt tarantulas, and they are also parasitized by flies. Tarantulas may be found in commensalistic associations with toads or bromeliads. In their natural range, they also interact with humans and native people in different regions of the Americas, who use them for food or as part of traditional medicine. The diversity of these interactions and adaptations may be considered a result of a long evolutionary history.

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  1. El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Unidad Chetumal, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico

    Yann Hénaut & Salima Machkour-M’Rabet

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  1. Yann Hénaut
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  2. Salima Machkour-M’Rabet
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  1. Facultad de Ciencias, Sección Entomología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Fernando Pérez-Miles

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Hénaut, Y., Machkour-M’Rabet, S. (2020). Predation and Other Interactions. In: Pérez-Miles, F. (eds) New World Tarantulas. Zoological Monographs, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48644-0_8

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