Description
Scientific Name: Davus pentaloris
Previous scientific names: Davus mozinno, Davus pentalore, Pseudoschizopelma pentalore, Hapalopus pentaloris, Crypsidromus pentaloris
Not be confused with Davus fasciatus – Costa Rican Tiger Rump
Common Name: Guatemalan Tiger Rump | Wasp Tarantula
You will often see this species incorrectly named Cyclosternum fasciatum or it’s newer scientific name, Davus fasciatus – The Costa Rican Tiger Rump as per the video below (which is also incorrect). Many hobbyists will also stand around and argue about which is which. But the truth of the matter is that the Tiger Rump Tarantula which originates in Guatemala and has a red/copper carapace, which is the species we all know in the hobby, is Davus pentaloris – The source of this info for both species can be found here on the World Spider Catalog. The Tiger Rump which originates in Costa Rica and has a black carapace with inverted colors on the abdomen, is Davus fasciatus. The true Costa Rican Tiger Rump – Davus fasciatus is rarely seen in the hobby, especially in South Africa and the chance of you having one is pretty close to zero.
Either way, both are gorgeous and the Guatemalan Tiger Rump is a great choice when looking to add some interesting colors to your collection. They have dark to black legs with blue iridescence on freshly molted specimens. The contrasting hues of reds, pinks an oranges from the carapace and abdomen make this a striking and beautiful tarantula to behold. They are in fact a dwarf species and don’t grow very large as far as tarantulas go. I used to keep this species on my desk at work when it was a juvenile. It also kept my manager away from my office.
They are great display tarantulas that are known to create quite a lot of webbing at times. They usually have great feeding responses making them fun to watch too. Their skittish and nervous nature mean that they will bolt for cover if disturbed and excessive action around them will result in urticating bristles being flicked as added defense. However, they soon calm down and appear once again, looking for something to munch.
