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Chilobrachys fimbriatus
	Indian violet, unknown sex.
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Family:	Theraphosidae
Genus:	Chilobrachys
Species:	C. fimbriatus
Binomial name
	Chilobrachys fimbriatus; Pocock, 1899

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Chilobrachys fimbriatus, (vernacular names the Indian Violet tarantula or Fimbriated Striated Burrowing Spider) is a terrestrial tarantula native to the western coast of the Indian sub-continent. C. fimbriatus is a small, obligate burrowing species know for it's aggressive behaviour and "tiger-stripe" markings.

Description[edit]

Juveniles of this species are a non-descript brown colour, with faint striped "chevron" marking on their abdomen. As they mature, these marking become darker and more obvious. Adults are mid to dark brown in colour with very obvious dark-striped abdomens. The legs of C. fimbriatusis are a dark blue/violet colour, giving this species it's common name of the indian violet. Depending on the individual this colouration may stretch from the femur to the tarsus or may be restricted to the femur.

The area around their labium is bright red in colour

Behavior[edit]

Like most New World tarantulas, they will kick urticating hairs from their abdomens and their back legs if disturbed, rather than bite. They are only slightly venomous to humans and are considered extremely docile, though, as with all Tarantulas, allergies may intensify with any bite.^[1]

They carve deep burrows into soil banks, which keeps them protected from predators, like the White-nosed Coati, and enables them to ambush passing prey. The females will spend the majority of their lives in their burrows. The burrows are typically located in or not far from vegetation and consists of a single entrance with a tunnel leading to one or two chambers. The entrance is just slightly larger than the body size of the spider. The tunnel, usually about three times the tarantula's leg span in length, leads to a chamber which is large enough for the spider to safely molt in. Further down the burrow, via a shorter tunnel, a larger chamber is located where the spider will rest and eat its prey. When the tarantula needs privacy, e.g. when molting or laying eggs, the entrance is sealed with silk sometimes supplemented with soil and leaves.^[2]

Habitat[edit]

Their natural habitat is in deciduous tropical forests in the hilly southwestern Mexico, especially in Colima and Guerrero.^[1]^[2] In 1985 the species were listed as endangered by CITES because the wild-caught specimens shipped for the pet market were decreasing in size. The smaller sizes were suspected to be a consequence of a declining population due to excessive export. The export is not the only threat however; some local people have reportedly made a habit of killing these spiders in a nearly systematic way using pesticides, pouring gasoline into burrows or simply killing migrating spiders on sight.^[1] The causes of these actions seem to be an irrational fear based on myth surrounding B. smithi and related species^[3]^[1]. Thus, whether the listing strengthened the B. smithi wild population or not remains uncertain. The species has nonetheless been bred successfully in captivity, making them readily available on the pet market despite almost no export of wild-caught spiders from Mexico.^[1]