Caribena

Caribena is a small genus of Caribbean arboreal tarantulas established by Fukushima & Bertani in 2017 during their revision of Avicularia. The World Spider Catalog currently recognizes two accepted species in the genus.

The genus currently contains two recognized species:

  • Caribena laeta – from Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

  • Caribena versicolor – endemic to Martinique

Caribena are classic Caribbean pinktoe-type tarantulas: arboreal, web-heavy, and most at home in elevated retreats among bark, branches, leaves, and other above-ground cover. Compared with the older Avicularia grouping, Caribena were separated as a distinct genus on morphology, including a conspicuous patch of long, very slender type II urticating hairs.

Adult Caribena versicolor perched on its silk retreat, showing pink, green, and violet leg coloration
Species Archive Card

Caribena versicolor

Martinique Pink Toe Tarantula

Photo: Luxe Inverts
Field Note

Caribena versicolor (Walckenaer, 1837) is a Neotropical arboreal theraphosid endemic to the Caribbean island of Martinique. Formally reassigned from Avicularia to the newly erected genus Caribena by Fukushima and Bertani in 2017, the species is notable for a pronounced ontogenetic color shift: metallic-blue juveniles progress through green and violet intermediates into adults whose pink, green, and magenta tones arise largely from structural coloration in the setae. In situ it webs heavily in canopy vegetation, constructing tubular silk retreats within bromeliads, palm-leaf axils, and bark crevices, and relies on rapid flight into cover rather than threat display when disturbed.

Range
Single-island endemic to Martinique, Lesser Antilles. Historical records from adjacent islands (notably Guadeloupe) are considered unreliable under current taxonomic consensus.
Lifestyle
Arboreal, canopy-associated webber within subfamily Aviculariinae; tubular silk retreats placed in elevated vegetation and epiphytic substrates.
Adult Size
Females ~5–6 in diagonal leg span; males notably smaller and more gracile (~4–4.5 in), with pronounced sexual size and shape dimorphism.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Temperament
Flight-dominant response. Carries Type II urticating setae, characteristic of Aviculariinae, which are shed on contact and deposited into silk rather than kicked from the opisthosoma. Biting is rare and venom is not considered medically significant.
Habitat
Humid lowland to sub-montane tropical forest on Martinique; strongly canopy-associated, utilizing bromeliads, palm-leaf axils, and bark crevices as retreat sites within well-ventilated, high-humidity microclimates.
Aviculariinae Arboreal webber Ontogenetic color shift Type II urticating setae Caribbean endemic