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Situation and Conservation of Tarantulas in the Americas

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New World Tarantulas

Part of the book series: Zoological Monographs ((ZM,volume 6))

Abstract

Tarantulas are the world’s largest spiders and they are more abundant in the Americas than in any other place. They are primarily found in tropical, semi-tropical, and arid regions over the continent; some of them even have adapted to anthropogenic habitats. As other spiders, tarantulas play many important roles in ecosystems as predators and sources of food for other creatures. Although tarantulas are an integral part of biodiversity whose conservation is justified, they are not usually included in conservation strategies. It is evident that regardless the scientific and technical arguments for their protection, the cultural weight awash with prejudice and undervaluation can ruin the best reasons. Because of this, the sustainable use and management of tarantulas native to the Americas depend on the knowledge of its main threats, its relevance to the environment, and creation of public policies that involve society for management, protection, and conservation actions.

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  1. Colección Nacional de Arácnidos, Módulo D planta baja, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico

    Jorge Mendoza

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  1. Facultad de Ciencias, Sección Entomología, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Fernando Pérez-Miles

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Mendoza, J. (2020). Situation and Conservation of Tarantulas in the Americas. In: Pérez-Miles, F. (eds) New World Tarantulas. Zoological Monographs, vol 6. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48644-0_16

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