Aphonopelma chalcodes

Arizona blond tarantula (terrestrial)
USA
~ 8 cm bodylength
Longevity: ♀ ~ 20 years, ♂ ~ 8 years

This North American species grows very, very slowly, females may only become adult after 10 years, and the process can take 8 years for males too. While these die a few months after their last moulting, the females live for about 10 years. There is also talk of captive animals that lived to be over 25 years old. The females differ from the males in their appearance. They have a lighter colored carapace and legs, while males show black legs. Although most of the time a peaceful species is spoken of, there are also reports about spiders that are quite defensible.