About Aphonopelma steindachneri (Ausserer, 1875)
Aphonopelma steindachneri, commonly known as Steindachner's ebony tarantula, is a species of New World terrestrial spider in the tarantula family Theraphosidae. It is found in California, United States, and Baja California, Mexico. Its range is most concentrated around the metropolitan areas of Los Angeles and San Diego. It lives in arid landscapes, where it inhabits burrows dug into the ground. Like other species in the genus Aphonopelma, this tarantula is most active during its summer and fall breeding season, which runs from July to October. During this period, males leave their burrows to search for mates. The species reaches a diagonal leg span of 12–13 centimeters, or 5 inches, and has a velvet black or deep brown coloration. Common predators of Aphonopelma steindachneri include other arthropods: spider wasps in the genera Pepsis and Hemipepsis, centipedes, scorpions, solifugids, and wolf spiders, which prey on juvenile individuals.
