Ephebopus murinus

When it comes to serious leg stripes no other Tarantula pulls it off as well as the Skeleton Tarantula. This is due to having massive front legs with flattened ends that are larger than the rear legs, similar to an arboreal species. Running down these legs are bold white stripes that is like a black-and-white skeleton costume. Hidden behind their massive legs is a golden carapace and a small velvety, brown abdomen similar to a Baboon spider.

They are part of the Aviculariinae subfamily which contains the majority of the arboreal species found in South America. Though E.murinus looks arboreal they are in fact a burrowing species. Even more weird is that its urticating hairs rather than being on their abdomen are on their pedipalps, which they flick by rubbing their palps on their chelicera.

They can be aggressive when disturbed, as well as flicking hair they will rear up similar to a Haplopelma with their legs spread wide and fangs showing. Unlike some of the other burrowing species they don’t just dig a hole than disappear forever. They create more elaborate burrows and will cover the ground and furnishings with web. It is also worth adding a hide as some will adapt to this rather than burrowing.