Tliltocatl

Dominik Alexander
Nov 7
3 min read

Updated: Dec 5

Tliltocatl is a relatively new tarantula genus, formally described by Mendoza & Francke during a major revision of the Mexican Brachypelma group published in 2019 and implemented in 2020. Their work showed that the traditional genus Brachypelma actually contained two distinct evolutionary lineages based on molecular and morphological data. To keep the groups natural (monophyletic), the “red-rumped” species were separated into the new genus Tliltocatl, while the classic “red-legged” species remained in Brachypelma.

Most species now placed in Tliltocatl were historically known as Brachypelma—for example, the curly hair tarantula and Mexican red rump—until they were recombined under the new genus name.

The name Tliltocatl comes from Nahuatl, combining tlil (“black”) and tocatl (“spider”), essentially meaning “black spider.”

Today, Tliltocatl includes several large, terrestrial New World tarantulas distributed mainly across Mexico and Central America (including Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Costa Rica, with introduced populations in places like Florida). Many species are common in the hobby and are known for their sturdy build, earthy colors and generally calm temperaments.

Because these spiders were heavily collected for the pet trade alongside Brachypelma, both genera have been the focus of conservation attention and CITES protections aimed at regulating international trade and protecting wild populations.

Tlilocatl kahlenbergi

Species History

Tliltocatl kahlenbergi is a New World terrestrial tarantula from the Veracruz region of Mexico. It was first recognized as a distinct species in the early 2000s, when German hobbyist Herwig Kahlenberg noticed that some spiders imported from Veracruz did not match any known Brachypelma species. Using these captive specimens, Jan-Peter Rudloff formally described the species in 2008 as Brachypelma kahlenbergi, honoring Kahlenberg in the name.

In the wild, T. kahlenbergi inhabits tropical and subtropical moist forests along the Atlantic lowlands, where it lives in burrows or modified retreats in the ground, sometimes even in lightly disturbed pasture or agricultural edges. Like its close relatives, it is a fossorial species that spends much of its time hidden but can be seen at the burrow entrance, especially at night.

Originally placed in the genus Brachypelma, the species was moved to the newly defined genus Tliltocatl in a 2019–2020 taxonomic revision of Mexican “red rump” tarantulas by Mendoza & Francke. This revision split the classic Brachypelma group in two, with kahlenbergi and several other dark-bodied, red-abdomed species now sitting in Tliltocatl.

Although Tliltocatl kahlenbergi is still less common in the hobby than its look-alike cousin Tliltocatl vagans, it has steadily gained popularity thanks to its calm temperament, manageable size, and attractive contrast of dark body and orange-red abdominal hairs—earning it common names like the “Veracruz Red Rump.”

Natural Habitat

Tliltocatl kahlenbergi is native to eastern Mexico, primarily in the state of Veracruz, with records extending into nearby states like Oaxaca, Querétaro, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosí and Puebla. It occurs on the Atlantic (Gulf of Mexico) side of the Sierra Madre Oriental, where the climate is warm, humid, and receives significantly more rainfall than the Pacific coast.

In the wild, this species is found in subtropical moist-forest lowlands and ecotones such as forest edges, pastures, and lightly disturbed areas. Like other Tliltocatl, it is a ground-dwelling burrower, living in self-dug burrows or using natural cavities in the soil, where it shelters from predators and the daytime heat.

Typical conditions in its habitat are warm temperatures (around 20–29°C / 69–85°F) with consistently high humidity, often 70–90%, due to frequent rain and moist soils. This combination of warm, wet lowland forest and stable, secure burrows is what keepers aim to replicate in captivity.

Our Specimen:

Given name: Linda

Sex: Female

Life stage: Adult