Omothymus

Omothymus is a small genus of large, arboreal tarantulas from Southeast Asia, currently containing four recognized species: O. schioedtei, O. violaceopes, O. fuchsi, and O. rafni. The genus was first established in 1891 by Tamerlan Thorell, based on the Malaysian species Omothymus schioedtei. In 1903, Eugène Simon sank Omothymus into synonymy with Cyriopagopus, and for more than a century these spiders were generally treated under that name.

Modern work on arboreal Asian tarantulas has restored Omothymus as a distinct genus. In 2015, Smith & Jacobi re-examined type material and concluded that Omothymus represents its own lineage within the subfamily Ornithoctoninae, reinstating the genus from synonymy. Further revisions by Gabriel & Sherwood in 2019 refined the diagnosis of Omothymus, added O. rafni, and transferred the famous “Singapore Blue” tarantula to Omothymus violaceopes.

Today, Omothymus species are known from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia (Sumatra and nearby islands), and newly reported localities in southern Thailand, where they inhabit humid lowland and hill forests high in tree cavities and crevices.

Omothymus violaceopes

Common name: Singapore Blue Tarantula

Origin: Old World arboreal species from Singapore and peninsular Malaysia, with records from mangroves, secondary forest and other humid lowland habitats.

Lifestyle: Strictly arboreal, building deep silk-lined retreats in tree holes, bark crevices and other vertical structures where it spends most of its time and ambushes prey.

Adult size: A very large arboreal tarantula; females commonly reach 18–21 cm (7–8.5 in) leg span, with some reports approaching 23–28 cm (9–11 in) in exceptional specimens.

Growth rate: Fast-growing; given good feeding and warm conditions, slings typically reach juvenile and subadult sizes more quickly than many New World species.

Temperament: Classic Old World defensive species – very fast, highly reactive and not hesitant to stand its ground. Not recommended for handling; best suited to experienced keepers who are comfortable with speed and strong venom.

Color & appearance:

• Females and juveniles show intense metallic violet-blue legs with a darker blue abdomen and a contrasting bronze to olive carapace, giving the species its “Singapore Blue” name.

• Mature males are more slender and typically brownish with only faint bluish tones, but retain the long legs and arboreal build of the genus.

Species History

Omothymus violaceopes is the classic “Singapore Blue” tarantula, a large arboreal species native to the humid forests of Singapore and peninsular Malaysia. It was first described by H.C. Abraham in 1924 under the name Lampropelma violaceopedes; under modern zoological naming rules the epithet was later corrected to violaceopes. For many years the species remained in the genus Lampropelma and was widely known in the hobby as Lampropelma violaceopes.

In 2015, Smith & Jacobi suggested moving the Singapore Blue into the genus Omothymus, but this proposal was not immediately accepted by all taxonomic authorities. A more detailed revision of Asian arboreal tarantulas by Gabriel & Sherwood (2019) redefined the genera Lampropelma, Omothymus and related groups, and formally transferred the species to Omothymus. It is now widely recognized in the scientific literature and major catalogs as Omothymus violaceopes (Abraham, 1924), with confirmed records from Singapore and Malaysia and emerging reports from nearby Sumatra.

Natural Habitat

Omothymus violaceopes comes from the dense, humid lowland rainforests of Singapore and peninsular Malaysia. In the wild it is a primarily arboreal tarantula, living high on tree trunks where it uses natural hollows, bark crevices, and deep tubular retreats lined with silk as its home base.

These forests are hot, very humid, and shaded, with consistently warm temperatures (roughly mid-70s to upper-80s °F / 24–32 °C) and frequent rain, creating a moist but well-drained environment rich in vertical structure and leaf litter.

Our Specimen:

Given name: Kopi

Sex: Undetermined

Life stage: Sling

• Approximately 3 inches

• Steady growth

• Generally reclusive; burrows

• Fast moving

Omothymus sp. langkawi

Common name: Langkawi Earth Tiger

Origin: Endemic to Langkawi Island, off the coast of Peninsular Malaysia (Old World Southeast Asia).

Lifestyle: Old World arboreal tarantula; a fast, webby tree-dweller that builds silken retreats in vertical cork and bark, similar to other Omothymus species.

Adult size: Around 7–8 in (≈18–20 cm) diagonal leg span, making it a large arboreal species.

Growth rate: Medium to fast – established as a reasonably quick-growing Old World species in the hobby.

Temperament: Very fast, defensive and willing to stand its ground; typical for Omothymus and other Old World arboreals.

Color & appearance: A striking metallic earth tiger with a deep, earthy base color and a satin sheen. Adults show charcoal to olive legs and abdomen, a bronze-to-olive carapace, and metallic golden/olive/bronze undertones that shift with lighting and maturity, all on a long-legged, slender Omothymus frame.

Species history

Omothymus sp. “Langkawi”, commonly called the Langkawi Earth Tiger (and sometimes the Malacca Strait Earth Tiger), is an undescribed arboreal tarantula from Langkawi Island off the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It belongs to the Southeast Asian genus Omothymus, the same group that includes well-known species like the Malaysian earthtiger (O. schioedtei) and the Singapore blue (O. violaceopes).

In the wild, this species is known only from the Langkawi area, where observations of Omothymus on tree trunks and forest edges helped draw hobby interest to the island’s unique earth tigers. It began appearing in the tarantula hobby in the last several years through small import batches and has since been established in captivity by dedicated breeders, though it remains far less common than other Omothymus species.

Because it has not yet been formally described in the scientific literature, the “sp. Langkawi” name is considered a hobby designation rather than an official species name. Hobbyists value this form for its locality purity, striking metallic olive-and-slate coloration, and classic fast, defensive “Old World arboreal” behavior.

Natural habitat

Omothymus sp. “Langkawi” is an Old World arboreal tarantula found on Langkawi Island, off the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia. In nature it inhabits warm, humid lowland tropical rainforests and hill forests within the Langkawi UNESCO Global Geopark, a region known for dense evergreen canopy, limestone hills and rich biodiversity.

Like other Omothymus species, it is a tree-dwelling spider that spends most of its life on and within tree trunks, roots and crevices, lining these retreats with thick sheets and tubes of silk. Year-round temperatures are consistently warm and humidity is high, with frequent rainfall and abundant insect prey, making Langkawi’s rainforest canopy an ideal environment for this fast, secretive earth tiger.

Our Specimen:

Given name: TBD

Sex: Undetermined

Life stage: Sling

• New addition to our collection