Chihuahua Gray vs Common Periwinkle

Aphonopelma pallidum compared with Vinca minor

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Chihuahua Gray	Common Periwinkle
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Arachnida (Arachnids)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Araneae (Araneae)	Gentianales (Gentianales)
Family	Theraphosidae	Apocynaceae
Genus	Aphonopelma	Vinca
Species	Aphonopelma pallidum	Vinca minor

Conservation Status

Chihuahua Gray

LC — Least Concern

Common Periwinkle

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Chihuahua Gray	Common Periwinkle
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Chihuahua Gray

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Common Periwinkle

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Armenia, Japan, Turkey), Europe (18 countries), North America (Canada, Mexico, United States), Oceania and the Pacific (Australia), and South America (Brazil).

Chihuahua Gray

The Chihuahua Gray (Aphonopelma pallidum) is a species in the genus Aphonopelma. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Common Periwinkle

<em>Vinca minor</em>, known as the common periwinkle or lesser periwinkle, is a trailing evergreen subshrub in the family Apocynaceae, widely recognised by its glossy dark-green leaves and distinctive violet-blue, five-petalled flowers. Native to central and southern Europe, it has been extensively introduced and naturalised across a remarkably wide geographic range, with established populations documented across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and South America, making it one of the more globally distributed ornamental escapees. The species typically colonises woodland edges, hedgerows, roadsides, and disturbed ground, often forming dense ground-covering mats that can suppress native vegetation. <em>Vinca minor</em> is tolerant of shade and a variety of soil types, contributing to its success as both a garden plant and an invasive species in some regions. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List given its vast distribution and adaptability. In many countries outside its native range, it is considered invasive. Biological traits such as average lifespan, precise growth dimensions, and detailed physiological parameters remain poorly documented in the scientific literature. The species contains alkaloids including vincamine, which have been investigated for pharmaceutical applications.