Cyriocosmus pribiki

Cyriocosmus pribiki holds a record among South America's dwarf tarantulas. Described in 2009 by Pérez-Miles and Weinmann from Peruvian specimens collected between 2200 and 3000 metres above sea level, it comes from the highest known locality for the entire genus. A grown specimen (pictured) is velvety black with no abdominal stripes, just a single pale beige patch shaped like a heart. Fine silvery rings mark the leg joints and a pale fringe of hairs outlines the carapace. Its appeal is understated and best appreciated up close, in good light.

Cyriocosmus are among the smallest tarantulas in the world, and keeping them feels a little like fieldwork with a hand lens. Spiderlings live a terrestrial life, make good use of a hide and dig their own little tunnels through the substrate. Feeding time is the highlight: the tiny spider waits motionless, then seizes its prey in a single burst and retreats with it into cover. Temperament is calm, shy rather than defensive, and the venom is considered mild.

Keep 1st instar (L1) spiderlings in a small, well-ventilated container with a few centimetres of coconut fibre. Mist part of the substrate regularly and let the rest dry slightly, but never allow the whole substrate to dry out. Spiderlings drink from droplets on the container walls after misting, so a water dish only becomes useful for larger specimens. Offer small prey matched to the spider's size, such as young crickets or cut mealworms. Room temperature is fine; given its high-altitude origin, avoid overheating. Adults need only a modest terrestrial enclosure with 5-7 cm of substrate and a cork bark hide.

This is a species for keepers who already have a few tarantulas behind them and want something genuinely unusual. Cyriocosmus pribiki is rarely seen in collections and needs very little space, which makes it a natural fit for anyone building a dwarf species collection. The reward is the chance to watch an animal the hobby still knows little about, and the quiet satisfaction of raising a species that lives higher in the mountains than any of its relatives.