Description
Pterinochilus murinus, is an old-world tarantula that was first described in 1897 by Reginald Innes Pocock. This species is found on the African continent, in Angola, as well as central, eastern, and southern Africa. It is a member of the subfamily Harpactirinae, baboon spiders.
Among those who keep tarantulas as pets Pterinochilus murinus is known as “OBT”, which means “orange baboon tarantula” or “orange bitey thing” and also as the “pterror”, a pun on its Latin genus classification: Pterinochilus. These nicknames reference a particular orange colour form that is prized in the hobby for its beauty and confrontational personality. It is also known as the Mombasa golden starburst tarantula.
This species is incredibly defensive and, as with most old world tarantulas, should not be held. The bite of this species, while not serious, is extremely painful. Moreover, the species is more than willing to inflict such a bite before presenting the typical threat display. Caution when dealing with this species is advised.
