UPSC Prelims 2025 Q37: Peacock (Gooty) Tarantula — Explained
Regarding Peacock tarantula (Gooty tarantula), consider the following statements:
I. It is an omnivorous crustacean.
II. Its natural habitat in India is only limited to some forest areas.
III. In its natural habitat, it is an arboreal species.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- I only
- I and III
- II only
- II and III
Answer: (d) II and III
Statement-wise explanation
- I: incorrect — The Peacock tarantula (Poecilotheria metallica) is a spider. Spiders are arachnids, with eight legs and two body parts. Crustaceans are a different arthropod group that includes crabs, prawns and woodlice. The species is also a predator that eats insects and other small animals, so calling it omnivorous is wrong as well.
- II: correct — The species is endemic to India and lives only in dry deciduous forests of the Eastern Ghats. The IUCN Red List assesses it as Critically Endangered because its known range is under 100 sq km. This range was first recorded in a reserve forest between Nandyal and Giddalur in Andhra Pradesh. Later records came from the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve in 2013 and from the Pakkamalai Reserve Forest in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu. All of these are forest patches, so 'limited to some forest areas' fits.
- III: correct — It is a tree-dwelling (arboreal) tarantula. It builds silk-lined retreats in holes in tall trees and in crevices above the ground. When disturbed, it drops or 'parachutes' to the ground, which is why it is also called the peacock parachute spider.
How to eliminate
Statement I can be ruled out from basic biology. A tarantula is a spider, and spiders are arachnids, not crustaceans. Once I is gone, every option that contains I drops out, leaving 'II only' and 'II and III'. Both remaining options include II, so you do not need to settle II. The question comes down to Statement III. The genus Poecilotheria is known as the 'ornamental tree spiders', and the species is called the 'parachute spider' because it drops from trees. Both names tell you it is arboreal. The word 'only' in Statement II usually makes UPSC aspirants suspicious. Here it is true, because this Critically Endangered species is known only from a few forest patches in the Eastern Ghats. Fact to remember: Peacock (Gooty) tarantula = arachnid, arboreal, endemic to the Eastern Ghats forests of Andhra Pradesh, Critically Endangered.
Know more
Peacock (Gooty) tarantula: Poecilotheria metallica
- Discovery: British zoologist R.I. Pocock described it in 1899 from a specimen found in a railway timber yard at Gooty (Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh). The specimen had probably arrived with transported timber, so Gooty is not its true habitat.
- Rediscovery: The species was not seen in the wild again until 2013, when researchers found it in the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve. This was more than 100 km from the original Nandyal–Giddalur forest.
- Range extension: Researchers later recorded it in the Pakkamalai Reserve Forest near Gingee in Villupuram district, Tamil Nadu. This was its first record outside Andhra Pradesh.
- Status: It is Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, because its range is under 100 sq km and the habitat is degrading. In 2012 it was named in the IUCN–ZSL list of the world's 100 most threatened species.
- Threats: logging, firewood collection, clearing of forest for farming, and collection for the exotic pet trade abroad.
- Appearance: It is the only blue species in its genus.
Do not confuse these groups (a favourite UPSC trap)
| Group | Legs | Body parts | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arachnids | 8 | 2 | spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites |
| Insects | 6 | 3 | beetles, butterflies, ants |
| Crustaceans | 10 or more, plus 2 pairs of antennae | mostly 2 | crabs, prawns, woodlice |
Arboreal vs terrestrial tarantulas: Old World tarantulas of the genus Poecilotheria (India and Sri Lanka) live in tree holes. Many other tarantulas dig burrows in the ground. When UPSC tests a species, it often asks about its habitat type (arboreal, fossorial, aquatic), its diet, and where it is endemic, so note all three for every species you study.
In the news
The species was in the news because of new records outside its old Andhra Pradesh range, especially the sighting in the Pakkamalai Reserve Forest in Tamil Nadu. It was also discussed as a Critically Endangered spider threatened by the pet trade. No single pre-exam government release was found, so treat this as a static topic about endemic Eastern Ghats species.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- IUCN Red List: The IUCN Red List gives this spider its conservation status, which is based on its very small known range.
- Eastern Ghats: Statement II is about the natural habitat, and the species' known forests lie in the Eastern Ghats.
- Nallamala hills: The species was first located in a reserve forest between Nandyal and Giddalur, in the Nallamala hills region.
- Threatened species: This tarantula is often cited as an example of a threatened Indian invertebrate, which helps place the question in context.