San Francisco Bay Area Tarantula Society

daveemory

Went on a very pleasant (and only at the end, rain-spattered) hike on the east side of Mt. Diablo today. We saw multiple burrows, some covered with webbing and some not, as well as no less than four mature males hoofing it across the trail. All were in varying stages of mature-ness with very shrunken abdomens.

Eventually I had the courage (chutzpah? rudeness?) to try out the ol' flushing technique on a burrow with a thin silk covering over it, and out popped this gorgeous specimen, which I believe to be an Aphonopelma - but does someone know the specific species? The males we saw were all dark gray/black with reddish abdomen bristles, but this was the only light brown one we saw.

I believe it to be a female - anyone want to look at the picture below and guess? In any case, I decided she was a keeper and brought her home - the first tarantula I have ever caught. She is extremely tame and sat in my hands cleaning her chelicerae not long after instantly devouring a cricket I gave it when I housed it. Fun fun fun!!

Is this a female..?

PC

BayLee · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:28 pm Post subject:

This is indeed an Aphonopelma, the only genus in the US, with the execptio of the vagans, who was intruduced into Florida,
What species this is, I don't think anyone is certain of. Currently Brent E. Hendrixson, (http://core.ecu.edu/biol/bondja/hendrixson.html) is doing a Taxonomy on this genus and more should be knows soon.

The male can be different in color so, you most likely have a female.

Good luck, but don't make it a habit taken from nature.

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Ricky Ortiz84 · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:39 pm Post subject:

Very nice find I just went out cruzing a couple roads and found two males out and about lookin for love I stoped and moved them off the road and hope pointed them in the right direction.
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daveemory · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 10:45 pm Post subject:

CodeWilster · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:00 pm Post subject:

Probably just label it Aphonopelma sp "Mt. Diablo" for now. And they are usually that brownish color long after and before a molt. Once freshly molted, they are a deep greenish grey to almost black color.
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daveemory · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:07 pm Post subject:

CodeWilster · Posted: Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:28 pm Post subject:

All of the males I have seen share the same dark coloration, however if you look at my and Kyle's pictures of a penultimate male you can see that they appear more golden on the carapace and do have the brownish color. All of the adult females I have found were either a light brown and appeared to be in premolt, or were a darker almost greenish color recently molted.

http://sfbats.myfreeforum.org/about1734.html

http://www.calris.org/forums/thre...?tid=479&posts=18&start=1

*Be sure to scroll to the bottom of that 2nd link.

You know come to think of it the dark coloration is likely typical of a VERY freshly molted specimen. The girl I have now is much darker than Kyles.

Bottomline, I think a lot of it is just how recent its last molt was to be honest, maybe some color morphs between individuals. It is very unlikely that two different species are walking around that mountain.
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A considerably greater amount of faith is required to believe that the complexity of this world happened by chance alone, rather than to believe there is a God.

BCathcart · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 7:14 am Post subject:

Good Find, just be careful up there at Diablo, Rockstar and myself got harassed by rangers for even taking pictures of these beautiful creatures. Because it is a state park, they are very protective.

daveemory · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:20 am Post subject:

BCathcart · Posted: Mon Sep 14, 2009 9:32 am Post subject:

Yes, they told Rockstar and I that taking photos was "harassing" the wildlife. I know, crazy, they were not the nicest of people.