page_title: Brachypelma boehmei
section_title: Appearance and characteristics
hierarchical_section_title: Brachypelma boehmei / Appearance and characteristics
caption_attribution_description: English: B. boehmei
context_page_description: Brachypelma boehmei is a tarantula native to Mexico in Guerrero state. These long-lived tarantulas prefer burrowing and hiding in dry scrubland. As with all closely related tarantula species, they defend themselves with urticating hair when provoked.
context_section_description: The Mexican fireleg resembles its better-known relative, the Mexican redknee tarantula (Brachypelma hamorii, formerly confused with Brachypelma smithi), in its dramatic orange and black coloration, though the adults of the species range from 5 to 6 inches in size. This species of tarantula has a slower growth rate than many of the larger South American tarantula species. The black femora (upper legs) provide a dark dividing band between the rich orange color of the carapace and lower legs. Unlike the orange joints of Brachypelma hamorii, the legs of this species are a bright, fiery red on the patellae (or knees), fading gradually to a paler orange further down and tipped by black tarsi (or feet). Although not particularly defensive, this species of spider can have a nervous temperament, where the spider can flick urticating hairs when it feels threatened.
caption: Adult female
exif: {"Image Make": "NIKON CORPORATION", "Image Model": "NIKON D90", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "300", "Image YResolution": "300", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "GIMP 2.4.7", "Image DateTime": "2017:04:14 17:49:51", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "222", "GPS GPSVersionID": "[2, 2, 0, 0]", "Image GPSInfo": "862", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "974", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "9274", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/160", "EXIF FNumber": "13", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Manual", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0221", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2013:04:05 21:08:20", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2013:04:05 21:08:20", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF CompressedBitsPerPixel": "2", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "0", "EXIF MaxApertureValue": "17/5", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF LightSource": "Flash", "EXIF Flash": "Flash fired, compulsory flash mode, return light not detected", "EXIF FocalLength": "60", "EXIF SubSecTime": "00", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "00", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "00", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "1980", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "1372", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "832", "EXIF SensingMethod": "One-chip color area", "EXIF FileSource": "Digital Camera", "EXIF SceneType": "Directly Photographed", "EXIF CVAPattern": "[0, 2, 0, 2, 1, 2, 0, 1]", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Manual Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Manual", "EXIF DigitalZoomRatio": "1", "EXIF FocalLengthIn35mmFilm": "90", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard", "EXIF GainControl": "None", "EXIF Contrast": "Normal", "EXIF Saturation": "Normal", "EXIF Sharpness": "Normal", "EXIF SubjectDistanceRange": "0"}