Cobalt Blue Tarantula, Indochinese Cobalt Blue
Haplopelma lividum (syn. Omothymus lividus / Cyriopagopus lividus)
Theraphosidae (Tarantulas), Order Araneae
Physical Description
Robust, heavily built body covered in dense setae, featuring a distinctive circular carapace and a stout oval abdomen. It exhibits a defensive posture with front legs raised.
Size Estimate
Body length around 7 to 13 centimeters (2.8 to 5.1 inches) with a leg span reaching up to 15 to 20 centimeters (6 to 8 inches).
Coloration & Markings
Carapace is a light golden or fawn-brown color, while the legs and abdomen display striking metallic cobalt blue hues under proper lighting.
Web Type
Does not build traditional prey-catching webs; instead constructs elaborate silk-lined burrow systems underground.
Eye Arrangement
Eight small eyes clustered closely together on a raised ocular tubercle at the front center of the carapace.
Leg Characteristics
Long, thick legs covered in dense hair, terminating in powerful claws and scopulae pads, often held in a defensive threat posture with the front two legs raised.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Contains neurotoxic components typical of Old World tarantulas, causing intense localized pain, swelling, and muscle cramps.
Medical Significance
Not medically significant in terms of lethal threat to healthy humans, but bites are intensely painful and require caution.
Safety Recommendations
Observe from a safe distance, avoid handling due to high defensiveness and painful bite potential, and use professional re-housing techniques if found in captivity.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Native to tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia, specifically Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, inhabiting deep burrows in the soil.
Behavior & Temperament
Fossorial, highly defensive, extremely fast, and prone to delivering a swift bite if cornered or provoked.
Diet & Prey
Carnivorous ambush predator feeding primarily on large insects, beetles, cockroaches, and occasionally small vertebrates.
Seasonal Activity
Active year-round in tropical habitats, though breeding events often align with the onset of the monsoon seasons.
Description
The Cobalt Blue Tarantula is one of the most stunning and formidable spiders in the world, renowned for its brilliant metallic blue coloration and ferocious attitude.
Key Features
Brilliant metallic blue legs contrasting with a golden-fawn carapace, combined with a notoriously defensive temperament and fossorial lifestyle.
Similar Species
Other Old World blue tarantulas such as Ornithoctonus aureotibialis or Poecilochtheria species, distinguished by distinct leg markings and carapace patterns.
Life Cycle
Females lay egg sacs containing up to 150-200 eggs within their burrows; spiderlings disperse rapidly; slow-growing species taking years to reach maturity.
Ecological Importance
Acts as an apex invertebrate predator controlling insect populations within its tropical forest ecosystem.
Conservation Status
Not formally evaluated by the IUCN, but facing local threats from habitat destruction and capture for the pet trade.
Interesting Facts
Despite their stunning beauty, they spend almost their entire lives hidden away in deep, dark underground burrows.
Photography Tips
Use natural or diffused lighting to accurately capture the iridescent cobalt blue sheen without overly startling the spider into a defensive strike.
Identified: 2026-08-31T02:32:27.868747