Poecilotheria vittata

{{Speciesbox

| taxon = Poecilotheria vittata

| image = Theraphosidae - Poecilotheria vittata.JPG

| image_caption = Museum specimen

| status = EN

| status_system = IUCN3.1

| status_ref = {{cite iucn |author1=Siliwal, M.|author2=Molur, S.|author3=Daniel, B.A.| title = Poecilotheria striata | volume=2008 | page =e.T63568A12691945 | year =2008 | doi = 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T63568A12691945.en }}

| status2 = CITES_A2

| status2_system = CITES

| status2_ref = {{Cite web|title=Appendices {{!}} CITES|url=https://cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php|access-date=2022-01-14|website=cites.org}}

| authority = Pocock, 1895

| range_map =

| synonyms = *Poecilotheria pederseni Kirk, 2001

| synonyms_ref =

}}

Poecilotheria vittata, sometimes called Pederson's ornamental, the ghost ornamental, or magam tiger spider, is an arboreal tarantula. It is endemic to Sri Lanka. In IUCN Red List, the species is cited as a synonym of Indian species Poecilotheria striata, but in other local text books and online publications, it is cited as a separate species. {{As of|2016|February}}, the species was considered to be native to both India and Sri Lanka by the World Spider Catalog.{{cite web | url=http://www.mikebasictarantula.com/Poe-pederseni-care-sheet.html | title=Poecilotheria vittata | publisher=My Basic Tarantula | accessdate=26 February 2016}}{{cite web | url=http://www.virginiacheeseman.co.uk/ghost-ornamental-poecilotheria-pederseni-small-1 | title=Poecilotheria vittata - Ghost Ornamental Tarantula | accessdate=26 February 2016}}

Description

File:Poecilotheria vittata taken by Chamara Asanga.jpg

The species can identified from other tiger spiders by prominent brushes on femurs and a prominent dark triangular stripe on the femur of fourth pair of legs in ventrally. Males are about 5 inches in length, females are larger at 6–7 in.{{cite book|author=Nanayakkara, Ranil P.|year=2014|title= Tiger Spiders Poecilotheria of Sri Lanka |publisher=Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environmental & Renewable Energy |location= Colombo |pages= 167|isbn= 978-955-0033-58-4}}

In females, the dorsal carapace is similar to P. fasciata. The abdomen markings are slightly darker around the joint to the peduncle. There are two lines of oblong parallel spots down the tibia. Ventrally, the legs are white in color. The first and second leg pairs have identical markings. The patella is white with a broken black band distally. The tibia is also white. In males, the dorsum is greenish brown all over the body with inconspicuous markings. Ventrally, similar to female, instead of much shorter wedge-shaped marking not merge with distal black band in fourth pair of legs.

Ecology

The species is confined to the south-eastern parts and few northern parts of Sri Lanka. Inhabiting in tree hollows, under tree barks, rock crevices, not common in human habitations. Compared to other tiger spiders, this species is docile, but in extreme disturbances, will bite.

References

{{Reflist|refs=

{{citation |title=Taxon details Poecilotheria vittata Pocock, 1895 |work=World Spider Catalog |publisher=Natural History Museum Bern |url=http://www.wsc.nmbe.ch/species/37834 |accessdate=2016-02-29 }}

}}

External links

[http://animal.memozee.com/view.php?tid=5&did=11556 Pedersen Ornamental]
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKYO6fZs84g Feeding Poecilotheria vittata]
[http://www.thebts.co.uk/Bite_ppederseni.htm Notes and Observations Regarding the Bite of Poecilotheria pederseni]
[https://www.cites.org/eng/cop/11/prop/52.pdf Poecilotheria vittata in CITES]

vittata

Category:Spiders of Asia

Category:Endemic fauna of Sri Lanka

Category:Spiders described in 1895

Category:Taxobox binomials not recognized by IUCN