description

the Brazilian dwarf beauty (Dolichothele diamantinensis, formerly Oligoxystre diamantinensis) is a feisty New World “dwarf” tarantula known for its tendency for being a fairly heavy webbing species. They are similar in coloration to the famous GBBs, with bright royal blue undertones across the whole body, and red-orange setae on the abdomen. Specimens usually have a greenish iridescence on the carapace. Spiderlings show adult coloration as early as third or fourth instar. D. diamantinensis is among the short list of New World species that completely lacks urticating hairs.

natural history

D. diamantinensis was first described in 2009 in the Diamantina municipality in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais. Habitat where this species was discovered is called rupestrian grassland, which is characterized by very high humidity, rocky terrain, and significant seasonal variation in rainfall throughout the year (Zookeys - O. diamantinensis). Temperatures here also vary to the extreme, with minimums as low as 39°F and maximums over 90°F, although the average temperatures usually fall in the range of 55-75°F year-round (Diamantina climate).

enclosure design

considered a “dwarf” species, female Brazilian dwarf beauty tarantulas rarely exceed 3.5” diagonal leg span. Mature males can vary but are typically smaller and lanky in comparison. We set up all of our D. diamantinensis adults in Exo Terra brand “Nano Tall” 8” x 8” x 12” enclosures (the “Nano Wide” also works just fine but we like to provide some height for the potential for the spider to build webs higher up), which we prefer due to their built-in cross-ventilation feature, double front-opening doors, locking mechanism, and clean look. The lid might pose an issue with tarantula claws getting stuck in the mesh, so consider replacing it with our PVC lid insert or replacement lid. We hardscape with wood (cork bark, cholla wood, spider wood, driftwood, etc.), providing web anchor points and potential hides for the spider to choose from. Fill the enclosure with at least 3” of megamix tropical substrate, plant a few tropical vivarium plants (optional), and provide a water dish. We set up spiderlings from 3/4”-2.5” in our arboreal spiderling enclosure (or terrestrial spiderling enclosure) similarly. Spiderlings like to gather particulate material from the substrate and line their above-ground web burrows, so they may appear to show fossorial tendencies.

Although D. diamantinensis is a hardy species, we still recommend providing ample ventilated enclosures to prevent stagnant conditions, which can be improved with forced airflow. We keep a small portable fan in our animal room on the low setting. If you choose to use a fan, be sure to place it so it is not blowing directly at your enclosure.

maintenance

at Marshall Arachnids, we strive to take each species’ natural history into account when designing and maintaining vivaria for our spiders. We provide our D. diamantinensis adults with a thermal gradient of about 72 to 82°F, with the top of the enclosure being the warmest. Nighttime temps drop no lower than 68°F. Each spider has the opportunity to thermoregulate by moving around the enclosure as they please. Every day we mist the webbing for a boost in humidity and to provide fresh water to drink from, and ensure the water dish is clean and full. For adults, we tong-feed appropriately-sized live dubia roaches or crickets every 7-14 days, but not on a set schedule. For slings, we offer food approximately every 5-7 days or as-needed. They are ravenous eaters, so take care not to overfeed this species. D. diamantinensis tend to seal their hides off with webbing when preparing to molt and may repeatedly refuse to eat. These spiders can safely go weeks on end without food, so do not be concerned if this is the case.  Just continue to provide clean water regularly.

fun fact!
The genus name ‘Dolichothele’ translates literally to ‘long nipple’! There are many scientific tarantula names with the suffix ‘-thele’, which probably refers to the spinnerets contextually, since tarantulas don’t have nipples…