What Makes it a "Baboon" Tarantula?

[Tortoise Tom]

I've been reading, researching and basically obsessing over tarantulas for the last couple of weeks now. I'm trying to learn more about all the species I don't know. I keep seeing many different species, from many different genus' all referred to as "baboon" spiders. What makes it a baboon spider? OBT, king baboon, golden blue leg baboon, etc… These are all very different spiders, but are somehow grouped into this common name of baboon spiders.

What is the criterion for a tarantula to be labeled as a baboon spider?

 

[Enn49]

This is probably one of the best definitions of a baboon T from https://www.tripsavvy.com/dangerous-spiders-in-africa-1454087

Baboon spiders are a sub-family of tarantula that includes more than 40 individual species in South Africa alone. All baboon spiders have a set of distinctive characteristics in common - they're large, hairy and capable of inflicting a painful bite. Not every species is venomous, however, and all of them are unlikely to attack unless provoked. Symptoms of a baboon spider bite can include vomiting and dizziness. This sub-family comes in a variety of colors and sizes, and favors dry scrubland or savannah. They live in burrows, which they line with silk and use to ambush insects and small reptiles. Female baboon spiders can live as long as 30 years.

 

[MassExodus]

Baboon-African
Bird Eater-South American( and Australian? )
Earth Tiger-Asian
Thats how I always thought of them..not sure if its correct

 

[Dave Jay]

Yeah, I think it's just because they are mostly brown/orange, hairy and come from Africa.
With the bird-eating label there is a confirmed story from the early 1900s of a farmer having baby chickens go missing and following a trail to find a spider had dragged the chick 100s of meters and was trying to drag it down it's burrow. That explains the name in Australia but I have also read that tarantulas will take newly hatched chicks from bird nests , that might explain the label for Asian species. I wasn't aware of South American species being labelled bird-eaters but it makes sense that arboreal species may well come across a nest of baby birds and take one.
Another theory is that small birds can be trapped in orb spider webs and early explorers attributed those webs to the big hairy spiders found nearby.

 

[KezyGLA]

Baboon spider refers to most African Theraphosidae.

They apparently first picked up the nickname of Baboon spiders because of their hairyness and attitude, which reminded them of Baboons.

 

[KezyGLA]

I wasn't aware of South American species being labelled bird-eaters but it makes sense that arboreal species may well come across a nest of baby birds and take one.

The name Birdeater originated in South America.

'Avicularia' the name of a South American genus of arboreal Theraphosidae, is actually derived from the Latin 'avicula' meaning 'little bird', and refers to a 1705 illustration by Maria Sibylla Merian, showing a tarantula feeding on a bird. The English names "bird spider" and "bird-eating spider" and the German name vogelspinne reflect the Latin name.

 

[Dave Jay]

The name Birdeater originated in South America.

'Avicularia' the name of a South American genus of arboreal Theraphosidae, is actually derived from the Latin 'avicula' meaning 'little bird', and refers to a 1705 illustration by Maria Sibylla Merian, showing a tarantula feeding on a bird. The English names "bird spider" and "bird-eating spider" and the German name vogelspinne reflect the Latin name.

Thanks, I hadn't come across that info, just the other stuff I wrote in my reply but then I haven't specifically searched for the origins of the name, only Australian Tarantulas. The info I repeated was from Steve Nunns website and various museum and university articles/papers but they don't mention the information you provided, perhaps I'll mention it in their respective comments section where possible.

 

[Whitelightning777]

They are just terrestrials and burrowing tarantulas from Africa. It's just a common name not a scientific classification.