Giant steps: adhesion and locomotion in theraphosid tarantulas

Theraphosid tarantulas are large spiders that bear dense hairy adhesive pads on the distal parts of their legs: scopula and claw tufts. These structures allow them to climb on vertical smooth surfaces and contribute to prey capture. While adult females and juveniles remain most of the time in their burrows, adult males actively walk searching for females during the reproductive period. Adhesion and locomotion thus play important roles in the ecology and reproduction of these animals. In this paper, we review the current state of the knowledge on adhesion and locomotion in tarantulas, focusing on functional and evolutionary morphology.

Automated summary

The adhesion and locomotion of theraphosid tarantulas play important roles in their ecology and reproduction, with females and juveniles typically staying in burrows while adult males actively seek females. This paper reviews current knowledge on these aspects, focusing on functional and evolutionary morphology.