Exploring Belize's Rich Cultural Heritage: The Teranchalas

Belize is home to a variety of tarantula species, including the Mexican Red Rump Tarantula, the Belize Cinnamon Tarantula, and the Psalmopoeus maya. While some people keep tarantulas as pets, they are often misunderstood and vulnerable to extinction due to over-hunting. Tarantulas play an important role in the rainforest ecology of Belize, preying on insects, other spiders, centipedes, and millipedes. They are characterized by their stocky appearance, hairy bodies, and parallel fangs that point backward.

The Mexican Red Rump Tarantula

While there are tarantulas in Belize, the Mexican Red Rump Tarantula (also known as Tliltocatl vagans or Brachypelma vagans) is native to Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica. It has also been observed in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and northeastern Costa Rica.

This species of tarantula is a New World, terrestrial, and opportunistic burrower. They are most commonly found in shrubland habitats and are nocturnal predators, feeding on ground-dwelling arthropods and possibly small vertebrates. Like most tarantulas, they will eat anything they can overpower, including insects, small lizards, and rodents.

In traditional Mayan medicine, the Mexican Red Rump Tarantula is considered to have positive properties. The spider is killed, crushed, mixed with alcohol, and then strained to remove any irritating hairs. This beverage is used to treat "tarantula wind," which is characterised by chest pain, coughing, and asthma. Additionally, the spider's venom peptide GsMtx-4 is being studied for its potential in treating cardiac arrhythmia, muscular dystrophy, and glioma.

Brachypelma vagans

The Mexican Red Rump is a docile spider, but can be defensive when disturbed and is quick to release urticating hairs as a defence mechanism. These hairs can cause itching and swelling if they come into contact with skin, and can be particularly irritating if inhaled or if they come into contact with the eyes. Despite this, the Mexican Red Rump is considered harmless to humans.

The spider is a nocturnal predator, feeding on ground-dwelling arthropods, small lizards, and rodents. Females of the species are larger than males, with a leg span of up to 6.5 inches, while males are typically smaller and thinner. Females create white egg sacs from webbing, which they carry everywhere and protect.

Due to its popularity in the pet trade, over-hunting, and habitat destruction, the Mexican Red Rump is considered vulnerable to extinction. It is important to handle these spiders with care and not contribute to their illegal removal or trade.

The Mexican Red Rump is also known as Tliltocatl vagans, and is an important part of traditional Mayan medicine. The Ch'ol Maya use these spiders to create a beverage that is believed to treat "tarantula wind", characterised by chest pain, coughing, and asthma. Additionally, the spider's venom is being studied for its potential medicinal properties.

Tliltocatl vagans

In traditional Mayan medicine, the Ch'ol Maya consider Tliltocatl vagans to be positive and use them medicinally. The spider is killed, crushed, mixed with spirit alcohol, and strained to remove irritating hairs. This beverage is used to treat "tarantula wind", characterised by chest pain, coughing, and asthma. Additionally, the spider's venom peptide GsMtx-4 is being studied for its potential therapeutic effects on cardiac arrhythmia, muscular dystrophy, and glioma.

Belize Cinnamon Tarantula

The Belize Cinnamon Tarantula, or Crassicrus lamanai, is a species of spider native to the tropical forests of Belize. It is characterised by its stocky appearance, hairy body and legs, and cinnamon colour.

In terms of diet, they feed on crickets and various calcium-dusted insects. They are good eaters, and in captivity, they can be fed two one-inch roaches or five adult crickets weekly.

With proper care, these tarantulas can live 5-15 years in captivity, with females having a longer lifespan than males.

Crassicrus lamanai

The species is known for its skittish temperament, with individuals typically retreating to their burrows at the first sign of disturbance. They are also known to kick hairs when disturbed, which can cause itching and swelling if they come into contact with human skin, particularly if inhaled or if they come into contact with the eyes.

The specific epithet "lamanai" comes from the Mayan word "lama' anayin", which was the name of an ancient trading centre that is still standing centuries later and is now called Lamanai. The type locality of Crassicrus lamanai is in the Orange Walk District of Belize, 0.5 km west of the New River Lagoon, near the Lamanai Forest Reserve.

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