Here's a breakdown:
* The Italian Connection:
* The word "tarantula" comes from the Italian town of Taranto in southern Italy.
* In the 15th and 16th centuries, people in Taranto believed that a bite from a local wolf spider (now known as the *Lycosa tarantula*) caused a condition called "tarantism."
* Tarantism was characterized by a range of symptoms, including dancing, convulsions, and a general state of agitation.
* People thought the only cure for tarantism was to dance violently, often to a specific type of music called the "tarantella."
* The Spider Connection:
* While the wolf spider of Taranto was initially blamed, the actual tarantula that is associated with the word today is a different species.
* The "tarantula" we know today is a large, hairy spider from the family Theraphosidae, which includes many species from the Americas, Asia, and Africa.
* These "true" tarantulas are not native to Italy, and their bite, while painful, is not typically dangerous.
In essence, the word "tarantula" originated from a combination of:
1. Folklore: The belief in tarantism, a supposed condition caused by a wolf spider in Taranto, Italy.
2. Misidentification: The wolf spider of Taranto was initially misidentified as a tarantula, but the name stuck.
3. Evolution of Meaning: Over time, the word "tarantula" became associated with the large, hairy spiders of the Theraphosidae family, which are not related to the Italian wolf spider.
So, while the origin of the word is tied to a specific Italian spider and a belief in a mysterious condition, it's ultimately the large, hairy spiders that we now call "tarantulas" that have become the most prominent association with the word.