Desert Tarantula

Posted on October 30, 2014 Updated on October 26, 2014

Thirty species are found in the Southwest, but the one most often seen is Aphonopelma chalcodes, commonly known as the desert tarantula. The tawny females have a leg span of about 5 inches. Males are slightly smaller, darker and more slender, and are often seen trudging determinedly across the desert on summer evenings.