Cilantica

Dominik Alexander
Nov 24
3 min read

Updated: Dec 7

Cilantica is a very new genus of Indian tarantulas, formally described in 2024 by arachnologist Zeeshan A. Mirza during a major taxonomic revision of the Western Ghats subfamily Thrigmopoeinae (family Theraphosidae). The work re-examined museum specimens and fresh material from across the Western Ghats and found that several well-known “earth tiger” tarantulas formed a distinct lineage that warranted their own genus.

The genus name Cilantica is a Latinized form of the Tamil word silanthi (சிலந்தி), meaning “spider,” a nod to both local language and the group’s Indian origin. All known species are restricted to the Western Ghats of southern India, especially the Palakkad Gap region, where they live as fossorial tarantulas in silk-lined burrows built into earthen banks and streamside embankments.

As currently recognized by the World Spider Catalog, Cilantica contains three species:

Cilantica agasthyaensis – the type species, described as new with the genus from the southern Western Ghats.
Cilantica kayi – a large, burrowing species originally described as Haploclastus kayi and later transferred into Cilantica.
Cilantica devamatha – the famous “Psychedelic / LSD / Indian Rainbow Earth Tiger,” which has had a complicated taxonomic journey: first described as Thrigmopoeus psychedelicus in 2014, then shown to be the same species as Haploclastus devamatha (making devamatha the valid name), and finally moved into Cilantica in Mirza’s 2024 revision. Today, the World Spider Catalog treats Cilantica psychedelicus as a synonym of C. devamatha.

Because these spiders are both highly localized and visually striking, Mirza and other authors have highlighted Cilantica as a flagship group for invertebrate conservation in the Western Ghats, a global biodiversity hotspot under pressure from habitat loss and development.

Cilantica devamatha

Common Name: Psychedelic / Indian Rainbow Earth Tiger Tarantula (aka “LSD Earth Tiger”)
Origin: Western Ghats, Kerala, India – montane forest region around the Palakkad Gap
Lifestyle: Old World, fossorial/terrestrial burrower; builds deep, silk-lined tube burrows and turret-style entrances
Adult Size: Medium-sized species; typically around 4.5–5.5 in (11–14 cm) leg span when mature
Growth Rate: Fast growth; reaches adult size relatively quickly compared to many other Old World terrestrials
Temperament: Typical Old World attitude – skittish, very quick, and defensive, not recommended for handling
Color & Appearance: Striking metallic iridescence; adults show deep electric blue / violet legs and carapace with contrasting bronze, red, or pink tones on the abdomen, making it one of the most colorful tarantulas in the hobby

Species History

Cilantica devamatha is a vivid, metallic tarantula endemic to India’s Western Ghats. It first entered the hobby and literature in 2014 under the name Thrigmopoeus psychedelicus, quickly earning common names like “LSD Earth Tiger” and “Psychedelic Indian Rainbow Tarantula” because of its intense blue and purple sheen.

Later taxonomic work moved the species into Haploclastus, and most recently into the newly created genus Cilantica, a group of Western Ghats tarantulas named from the Tamil word for spider. As of the latest World Spider Catalog updates, the species is listed as Cilantica devamatha, although the name and its history are still being discussed in the scientific community due to overlapping descriptions and nomenclatural issues.

In the hobby, it remains one of the most sought-after Old World terrestrials: a medium-sized, intensely colorful tarantula whose striking appearance and complex taxonomic backstory have made it a modern classic among keepers.

Natural Habitat

In the wild, Cilantica devamatha is restricted to the Western Ghats of Kerala, India, a tropical mountain range recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. It is associated with montane forest environments at roughly 1,100–1,200 m (around 3,900 ft) elevation, where conditions are warm, humid, and seasonally very wet.

This species is a fossorial, tube-dwelling tarantula: in nature it constructs burrows in compact soil, embankments, and forest banks, often weaving a silk-lined tube that may be reinforced with leaf litter and other local debris. Individuals typically remain hidden in these retreats, emerging at night or during damp conditions to ambush invertebrate prey. As an Old World species, it relies on speed, threat postures, and potent venom rather than urticating hairs for defense, so wild animals are best admired at a respectful distance.

Our Specimen

Given name: Michael Myers (Mike)

Sex: TBD

Life stage: Sling