Brachypelma baumgarteni

Brachypelma baumgarteni is a tarantula endemic to Pacific coast of Michoacan, Mexico.

Description

It is similar to B. klaasi, but it has more reddish patellae. B. baumgarteni was thought to be a captive hybrid of B. smithi crossed with B. boehmei, because for a long time no specimen had been reported successfully bred in captivity. According to genetic analyses, its closest relative is B. boehmei.

Distribution

The eastern border for its distribution is the river Balsas; the northern border is the Sierra Madre del Sur. It has a preference for tropical forest.

Conservation

In 1985, Brachypelma smithi was placed on CITES Appendix II, and in 1994, all remaining Brachypelma species were added, thus restricting international trade. Nevertheless, large numbers of tarantulas caught in the wild continue to be smuggled out of Mexico, including species of Brachypelma.