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This giant arboreal spider is the most popularly known from Singapore - Omothymus violaceopes or Singapore Blue. Shown here is a mature male. Upon maturity, males exhibit a brown-green color. Sometimes, males and females appear different - this is known as sexual dimorphism.
photo by ng_yu_fei
Visiting Singapore today. The spider here is Phlogiellus inermis, also known as the Front Door Tarantula. Any guesses on why it would be called that?
Photo by sohkamyung
What do you think?
The Quechuan word for "blue", Anqasha was first recognized in 2022. It replaced the previously assigned Homoeomma picta. And interestingly, before that, the same spider was Hapalopus picta. It seems to resemble Davus pentaloris to me!
The spider, commonly called the Orange Baboon Spider or Pterinochilus murinus, can be found throughout Eastern Africa, from Ethiopia down to Mozambique and into Botswana to the West. There are several locales and corresponding color forms. However, in taxonomy, color is not a differentiating feature of species. This Ethiopian locale has a unique gold/black carapace and dark abdomen. Pterinochilus murinus potentially has the most extensive range of any other tarantula species.
photo by kerejoo
Few tarantulas are known to inhabit Ethiopia. However, among the few is a fascinating spider. There are not many live photos of spiders from this genus - Loxoptygus. "Based on discussions with peers we can now confidently assert the genus is indeed Loxoptygus - species level identification cannot be done from photographs." (D. Sherwood)
photo by kerejoo
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Anoploscelus is a Genus belonging to the Eumenophorine subfamily, which includes other genera such as the Hysterocrates, Pelinobius, and Encycocratella baboon spiders. Smith (1990) states, "It is likely that the Eumenophorinae subfamily is the primary group from which the Theraphosinae and Ischnocolinae subfamilies developed. Approximately 136 million years ago (Cretaceous period) the American continent split away from Africa - taking with it examples of the Eumenophorinae subfamily. It is from this material that I believe the New World subfamily Theraphosinae has developed. "
Trichopelma is a new world genus including spiders from Cuba, Trinidad, Venezuela, Haiti, Jamaica, and Colombia. The spider pictured here is nitidum, of Dominican Republic.
photo by maribela
Another sighting from the Dominican Republic, a likely Phormictopus. Spiders in the genus display a range of colors, including brown, pink, blue, purple, and green. This one here has an interesting composition of blue femurs with an earthly carapace.
photo by jimu96
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Most of our packages are routed through the central FedEx hub in Memphis. The forecast is showing dangerously low weather there this week. We have begun rescheduling orders. Deliveries to CA, OR, and parts of UT are routed through Oakland instead.
Another Panama pick - Davus fasciatus, not available in the hobby
photo by holawa
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Found near Sedona, AZ. This mature male is Aphonopelma marxi. This species has a unique contrasting color schema, usually dark with orange-red setae on the abdomen. Commonly referred to as the Grand Canyon Black Tarantula, this US native is found in Arizona where there are a dozen other known Aphonopelma.
Photo by ksaa29
Tarantulas possess stridulatory organs, which are used to produce a hissing sound. These are positioned between the chelicerae. The sound is made when the organs are rubbed together.
What is a paratype? Another taxonomic term, a paratype is a specimen examined during the descripiton of a species. These can be used to support identification of species but do not serve as the holotype.
Scientists restructure Maslow's hierarchy of needs (2024)
What is a holotype? A holotype is a single specimen or part of a specimen. It is used during the diagnosis or description of a species. It is stored in a museum or collection for future examination. It represents a species. For example, when Mendoza (2014) described Psalmopoeus victori, a comparison of reduncus, cambridgei, and irminia holotypes were completed.
Tarantula News! Published on December 1, 2023, Sherwood, et al, describe a Xenesthis species from Venezuela. The spider was initially collected and labeled as Xenesthis immanis (1954), but recent examination proved otherwise. There isn't a great photo, but I speculate it may be indistinguishable from intermedia or immanis. The difference comes down to the palpal bulb structure.
Sherwood D, Gabriel R, Peñaherrera-R. P, Brescovit AD, Lucas SM. On the Tarantula Genus Xenesthis Simon, 1891, with Description of a New Species from Venezuela (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Taxonomy. 2023; 3(4):509-527. https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy3040029
Another Brazilian tarantula - Munduruku bicoloratum. Found near the equator in Santarem. The genus name comes from the indigenous people in the area, and the species name comes from the abdominal pattern/coloring.
Munduruku bicoloratum Miglio, Bonaldo & Pérez-Miles, 2013 in GBIF Secretariat (2023). GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-12-03.
In Southern Brazil, this unnamed Grammostola was sighted. I don't recognize it. The bronze carapace reminds me of Phormictopus auratus.
Photo by kaufvitali
Today, we're looking at some sightings of Brazilian species. Shown here is Hapalopus butantan. It's found pretty far inland, near Manaus, Brazil. I am doubtful it has ever been in the US hobby trade. Nevertheless, it has a striking appearance.
Photo by igoryuri
Tarantobelus arachnicida is another known threat to tarantulas. Examined in Poland, researchers tested a potential treatment called Lugol's solution (Potassium Iodide), which was shown to eradicate nematodes from living tarantulas. However, while the worms were removed, the infected spiders still experienced paralysis of their chelicerae. The bacteria's waste is considered toxic and harmful to the tarantula's nervous system. Treatment extended the life of infected spiders - 3 months - compared to 2 weeks in the group not receiving treatment. The article reports that these infections occurred in captive born cyaneopubescens - infected by food.
Wyrobisz-Papiewska, Anna & Kowal, Jerzy & Łopieńska-Biernat, Elżbieta & Kornas, Slawomir & Basiaga, Marta & Nosal, Paweł & Rubaj, Sławomir & Pałasz, Wojciech. (2019). Tarantobelus arachnicida (Nematoda: Rhabditida) invasion of exotic spiders in Poland. Annals of Parasitology. 65. 83-86. 10.17420/ap6501.186.
Tarantobelus jeffdanielsi is a nematode species named after the tarantula killer in Arachnophobia (1990). Researchers at UCR discovered this worm after a tarantula wholesaler contacted the parasite lab there. Infections appear as a white substance around the mouth and cause the spider not to eat. Euthanasia is the suggested remedy, as infections are lethal.
Tarantobelus jeffdanielsi n. sp. (Panagrolaimomorpha; Panagrolaimidae), a Nematode Parasite of Tarantulas
Jacob Schurkman, Kyle Anesko, Joaquín Abolafia, Irma Tandingan De Ley, Adler R. Dillman
Journal of Parasitology Vol. 108, Issue 1, (Jan 2022) , pgs 30-43
Photos by Dillman UCR
Socotra Island is home to Monocentropus balfouri and many other unique fauna/flora. It most certainly would be a fantastic place to visit. However, this island is not easily accessible. The US travel advisory lists Yemen as "Level 4: Do Not Travel" due to terrorism, civil unrest, health risks, kidnapping, armed conflict, and landmines. These warnings aside, visitors also must secure a host. Independent travelers are prohibited, so a resident or tour guide must sign off to authorize a visa. Furthermore, there is only one commercial and one government-sponsored flight each week. These flights must be purchased in-person in Abu Dhabi or Cairo. There are no rental cars or hotels.
Reproductive elements at the cellular level are much different in tarantulas than in mammals. For example, the s***matozoa are nonmotile - they cannot propel themselves. They lack the flagellate (tail) that mammalian s***m use to navigate in the uterus. Tarantula s***m are also contained in packets called coenos***mia. Multiple s***m cells share a protective sheath, which is opened under pressure. The image (B) shows s***matozoa being released from coenos***mia. Semen collected from Grammostola rosea.
Archibald, K.E., Minter, L.J., Lewbart, G.A., & Bailey, C.S. (2014). Collection and characterization of semen from Chilean rose tarantulas (Grammostola rosea). American journal of veterinary research, 75 10, 929-36 .
M.E. Herberstein, J.M. Schneider, G. Uhl, P. Michalik, S***m dynamics in spiders, Behavioral Ecology, Volume 22, Issue 4, July-August 2011, Pages 692–695, https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arr053
After slamming on the brakes, a Swish couple visiting California's Death Valley were rear-ended by a motorcyclist. Why the sudden stop? A tarantula was in the road.
See more at NBC News
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/tarantula-causes-traffic-accident-death-valley-hospitalized-rcna123292
Inspired by layered stencil art at the Summer Solstice Festival in Seattle, I went and bought a Cricut machine. Pictured here is one of the pieces I could create from four pieces of paper.
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