Service Initiates Endangered Species Act Status Review of 11 Tarantula Species

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service today announced a positive 90-day finding on a petition to list 11 foreign tarantula species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These species include six species native to India (Poecilotheria formosa, P. hanumavilasumica, P. metallica, P. miranda, P. rufilata, and P. striata) and five species native to Sri Lanka (P. fasciata, P. ornata, P. pederseni, P. subfusca and P. smithi). Each of the 11 species is known by multiple common names.