Boudica

Brazilian Whiteknee Tarantula (Acanthoscurria geniculata) also known as “Giant Whiteknee” and “Whitebanded Tarantula", is an astonishing bird eating spider and is native to the Amazon basin of Northern Brazil.  These tarantulas live in a tropical, wet climate, characterized by abundant

Brazilian WhiteKnee Tarantula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropodia
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Mygalomorphae
Family:	Theraphosidae
Genus:	Acanthoscurria
Species:	A. geniculata
Binomial name
Acanthoscurria geniculata
(C. L. Koch 1841)
Synonyms
Mygale geniculata C. L. Koch 1841
Scurria geniculata C. L. Koch 1850

rainfall with little or no dry season with a temperature range of: 25-28˚C (day), 21-25˚C (night).  Acanthoscurria geniculata shows brilliant black colour and white banded brown or black legs.  The males are smaller and less intensely coloured.  This is a terrestrial (ground living) large heavy-bodied species, with a body-length reaching 9 centimetres (3.5 in).  These tarantulas are fast growing, taking up to 3 or 4 years to reach a mature leg-span of 8.5

Amazon basin is highlighted yellow

inches for females.  These rather bold creatures begin to show adult colouration early on, making them look like miniature adults when they are still quite young.   Lifespan for females is between 10 and 20 years, possibly even up to 30, for males however it's much shorter at only 4 to 5 years.  These tarantulas have been much prized as easy to care for pets, due to their size, boldness, hardiness, and striking colouration and feeding time is always a spectacle!  They furiously hunts down their prey, going straight for the kill.  You’ll sometimes hear people talk about Acanthoscurria transamazonica, which is being used as a synonym for the same spider.  They are moderately defensive, and their urticating hairs can be quite irritating to human skin. These spiders, like many un-domesticated pets, can bite when provoked.  Fortunately because they have urticating hairs, biting is typically not their first line of defence.  Their venom is not considered medically significant, but due to their large size the puncture wounds can be damaging.