Peruvian green velvet tarantula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Theraphosidae
Genus: Thrixopelma
Species:
T. pruriens
Binomial name
Thrixopelma pruriens
Schmidt, 1998[1]

Thrixopelma pruriens, known as the Peruvian green velvet tarantula,[2] is a species of tarantula found in Chile and Perú in South America.[1][3]

Though docile, this species is rarely kept as a pet in part due to its tendency to fling urticating hairs with minimal provocation.[4]

In 2014, researchers at Yale University identified a toxin called Protoxin-I from the tarantula's venom that shows promise as a new painkiller drug.[5] The toxin reduces activity in an ion channel associated with inflammation and neuropathic pain, making it potentially suitable as a treatment for both normal pain and pathological pain syndromes.[6][2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Taxon details Thrixopelma pruriens Schmidt, 1998". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
  2. 1 2 Gui, Junhong; Liu, Boyi; Cao, Guan; Lipchik, Andrew M.; Perez, Minervo; Dekan, Zoltan; Mobli, Mehdi; Daly, Norelle L.; Alewood, Paul F.; Parker, Laurie L.; King, Glenn F.; Zhou, Yufeng; Jordt, Sven-Eric & Nitabach, Michael N. (2014). "A Tarantula-Venom Peptide Antagonizes the TRPA1 Nociceptor Ion Channel by Binding to the S1–S4 Gating Domain". Current Biology. 24 (5): 473–483. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2014.01.013. PMC 3949122. PMID 24530065.
  3. ↑ Schmidt, G. (2003). Die Vogelspinnen: Eine weltweite Übersicht. Hohenwarsleben: Neue Brehm-Bücherei. p. 191.
  4. ↑ "Thrixopelma-puriens-care-sheet". Mikebasictarantula.com. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
  5. ↑ Hathaway, Bill (2014-02-13). "YaleNews | Within tarantula venom, new hope for safe and novel painkillers found". News.yale.edu. Retrieved 2014-03-19.
  6. ↑ "The Peruvian Green Velvet Tarantula's Gift". The New York Times. 17 February 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2014.


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