Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders belonging to the fami Theraphosidae. Current, about 1,000 species have been identified. Some of the more common species have become popular in the exotic pet trade. New World species kept as pets have urticating hairs that can cause irritation to the skin, and in extreme cases, cause damage to the eyes. Like all arthropods, the tarantula is an invertebrate that relies on an exoskeleton for muscular support. Tarantulas of various species occur throughout the North, Central, and throughout South America. Other species occur various throughout Africa, much of Asia, and all of Austra. In Europe, some species occur in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, southern Ita, and Cyprus. Some tarantulas hunt prey primari in trees; others hunt on or near the ground. All tarantulas can produce silk; while arboreal species typical reside in a silken `tube tent`, terrestrial species line their burrows with silk to stabilize the burrow wall and facilitate climbing up and down. Tarantulas main eat large insects and other arthropods such as centipedes, millipedes, and other spiders, using ambush as their primary method of prey capture. Armed with their massive, powerful chelicerae tipped with long, chitinous fangs, tarantulas are well-adapted to killing other large arthropods. The biggest tarantulas sometimes kill and consume small vertebrates such as lizards, mice, bats, birds, and small snakes.

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