About Caribena versicolor (Walckenaer, 1837)
The Antilles pinktoe tarantula, scientifically named Caribena versicolor, is also commonly called the Martinique red tree spider or the Martinique pinktoe. It is a species of tarantula that belongs to the family Theraphosidae. This species was formerly classified in the genus Avicularia. Antilles pinktoe tarantulas are arboreal, meaning they live in trees, and they build complex funnel webs where they spend most of their time. Spiderlings of this species are bright blue with a black tree trunk pattern on the abdomen. As the spiders mature, they gradually lose their blue coloration: the carapace becomes green, the abdomen becomes red, and the legs become green with pink tarsi, covered in purple hairs. Males are typically slightly more brightly colored than females. Like most tarantula species, males do not reach the same large size as females, and their abdomens are smaller even in proportion to their overall body size. This tarantula is native to parts of the Lesser Antilles islands, and specifically occurs on the Caribbean island of Martinique.
