14 Types of Tarantulas in Arizona

14 types of tarantulas have a verified observation record in Arizona. The most frequently recorded are Desert Blonde Tarantula, Grand Canyon Black Tarantula and Tucson Bronze Tarantula. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

Quick Answer

14 types of tarantulas have a verified observation record in Arizona. The most frequently recorded are Desert Blonde Tarantula, Grand Canyon Black Tarantula and Tucson Bronze Tarantula. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.

More Pages

More tarantula pages for Arizona

Jump back to the main page for this route cluster.

Real sighting data, source iNaturalist

8,117 verified observations on iNaturalist of tarantula have been recorded in Arizona, most often in July, August, September.

When tarantula are recorded in Arizona

Verified species, source iNaturalist

14 types of tarantulas recorded in Arizona

14 tarantula species have a verified observation record in Arizona, each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.

1 of the 14 shown is endemic to Arizona, found here and effectively nowhere else.

  • No openly licensed photo yet
    1

    Desert Blonde Tarantula

    Aphonopelma chalcodes

    4,569 recordsNative
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    2

    Grand Canyon Black Tarantula

    Aphonopelma marxi

    655 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    3

    Tucson Bronze Tarantula

    Aphonopelma vorhiesi

    650 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    4

    Chiricahuan Gray Tarantula

    Aphonopelma gabeli

    189 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    5

    Madera Canyon Tarantula

    Aphonopelma madera

    121 recordsEndemic
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    6

    Santa Catalina Mountain Tarantula

    Aphonopelma catalina

    60 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    7

    Paloma Dwarf Tarantula

    Aphonopelma paloma

    59 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    8

    Desert Tarantula

    Aphonopelma iodius

    45 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    9

    Aphonopelma saguaro

    Aphonopelma saguaro

    40 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    10

    Aphonopelma mareki

    Aphonopelma mareki

    36 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    11

    Chiricahua Tarantula

    Aphonopelma chiricahua

    35 records
  • No openly licensed photo yet
    12

    Superstition Mountains Tarantula

    Aphonopelma superstitionense

    29 records

Also recorded in Arizona

#SpeciesRecords
13Peloncillo TarantulaAphonopelma peloncillo17
14Aphonopelma parvumAphonopelma parvum11

Plus 4 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.

The Desert Blonde Tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) is the most commonly recorded, with 4,569 verified observations, about 70% of all tarantulas reported in Arizona. If you spot a tarantula here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.

Arizona also hosts less common tarantulas such as Santa Catalina Mountain Tarantula, Paloma Dwarf Tarantula and Desert Tarantula, each recorded fewer than 100 times. These are the species worth a second look when you are out, since a sighting is more notable.

Madera Canyon Tarantula is endemic to Arizona, meaning it is found here and effectively nowhere else. Those are the sightings worth reporting.