Chaetopelma olivaceum (Carl Ludwig Koch, 1841) - Cyprus Tarantula

Family - Tarantulas (Theraphosidae)

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 Cyprus Tarantula

Μεγάλη αράχνη με μέγεθος σώματος (χωρίς τα πόδια) μέχρι 45 mm το θηλυκό και μέχρι 40 mm το αρσενικό. Εκτός από την Κύπρο τη βρίσκουμε και στη Μέση Ανατολή και βόρεια Αφρική. Είναι νυχτόβιο είδος και ζει κάτω από πέτρες και άλλα σκοτεινά μέρη. Είναι δηλητηριώδης και το δάγκωμα της προκαλεί οξύ πόνο αλλά δεν έχουν αναφερθεί θάνατοι ή άλλα σοβαρά συμπτώματα.


A large spider with a body length, excluding legs, up to 45 mm for the female and to 40 mm for the male. Other than Cyprus it is found in the Middle East and north Africa. A nocturnal species living under stones and other dark places. It is venomous and its bite is very painful but it is not known to cause death.


There are 2 species of Tarantula on Cyprus Chaetopelma olivaceum and  Cyprus tarantula - Chaetopelma karlamani Vollmer, 1997 - Κυπριακή Ταραντούλα - Endemic to Cyprus
 Their burrows have webs around the entrance. They can be aggressive, but only if you are invading its space, and even then it is likely to try and escape - fast - rather than attack (though some of us have had very close encounters gardening without anything other than a big fright for both parties). Its ability to jump might startle you. If it bites you it is not much to worry about, it is only slightly poisonous.

Photos Nicosia by George Konstantinou
Chaetopelma olivaceum spider protecting bag of eggs

Chaetopelma is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. They are found in Africa and Asia including the countries of Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Cyprus, Greece, Sudan and Cameroon.

Diagnosis

They can be distinguished from the other tarantula genera, except from Nesiergus, because the presence of clavate trichobothria in two rows on the tarsi. Males have a tibial apophysis consisting of two branches, females having a long and slender spermatheca. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetopelma