Brachypelma hamorii is a vulnerable species of tarantula found in Mexico. It has been confused with B. smithi; both have been called Mexican redknee tarantulas. Many earlier sources referring to B. smithi either do not distinguish between the two species or relate to B. hamorii. B. hamorii is a terrestrial tarantula native to the western faces of the Sierra Madre Occidental and Sierra Madre del Sur mountain ranges in the Mexican states of Colima, Jalisco, and Michoacán. The species is a large spider, adult females having a total body length over 50 mm (2 in) and males having legs up to 75 mm (3 in) long. Mexican redknee tarantulas are a popular choice for enthusiasts. Like most tarantulas, it has a long lifespan.
Brachypelma hamorii is a large spider. A sample of seven females had a total body length (excluding chelicerae and spinnerets) in the range 52–54 mm (2.0–2.1 in). A sample of 11 males was slightly smaller, with a total body length in the range 46–52 mm (1.8–2.0 in). Although males have slightly shorter bodies, they have longer legs. The fourth leg is the longest, measuring 75 mm (3.0 in) in the type male and 67 mm (2.6 in) in a female. The legs and palps are black to reddish black with three distinctly colored rings, deep orange on the part of the patellae closest to the body with pale orange–yellow further away, pale orange–yellow on the lower part of the tibiae, and yellowish-white at the end of the metatarsi. Adult males have light greyish-red around the border of the carapace with a darker reddish-black marking from the middle of the carapace to the front of the head; the upper surface of the abdomen is black. Adult females vary more in carapace color and pattern. The carapace may be mainly black with a brownish-pink border, or the dark area may be broken up into a "starburst" pattern with pale orange–yellow elsewhere.
