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- Apr 16, 2009
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I’ve been meaning to do this thread for some time although up until to now I just couldn’t be bothered. As many will already know there are now three described species of Theraphosa that are available within the hobby.
• Theraphosa apophysis - Goliath Pinkfoot (Tinter, 1991) Venezuela
• Theraphosa blondi - Goliath Bird eater (Latreille, 1804) French Guyana, Surinam
• Theraphosa stirmi - Burgundy Goliath (Rudloff & Weinmann, 2010) Guyana
All three species grow to very large sizes of up to and sometimes over eleven inches in leg span. All three also come from North Eastern South America, locations including Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam & French Guyana. Before the recent classification of Theraphosa stirmi many hobbyists believed that there were only two species of Theraphosa within the hobby. Although many other’s actually believed otherwise.
For quite some time the species now known as Theraphosa stirmi was often confused with the species Theraphosa blondi. The main reason for this confusion in a nutshell, the two species, unless you know what you’re looking for they look nearly identical (especially at adult size). To many people and hobbyists this doesn’t matter a great deal, both are nearly identical and also both make wonderful additions to a collection. Although if you’re looking to purchase a Theraphosa you may find that Theraphosa blondi hold a slightly higher price tag than that of the Theraphosa apophysis & Theraphosa stirmi due to availability.
Also its worth mentioning if you are considering breeding Theraphosa, you should always make sure that you pair the correct species with one another. Otherwise you may find that if an egg sac is produced, the eggs within it will not make it to spiderling stage. The main reason for this thread is to hopefully show a few of you ways of telling the different species apart from each other.
Identification at spiderling to juvenile stages is by far the easiest way to tell all three species of Theraphosa apart from one another, as each of the three have a different metatarsus and tarsus colour combinations.
• Theraphosa apophysis have a light pink to white hue on all eight metatarsi, tarsi & on the tips of the pedipalps.
• Theraphosa blondi don’t have any light pink to white hue on any metatarsi, tarsi or pedipalps.
• Theraphosa stirmi have the same light pink to white hue on the metatarsi & tarsi on leg pairs I & II.
The visual identifications of the three at sub-adult to adult stages can be a lot trickier, although certainly not impossible. Theraphosa stirmi as adults lack setae on their patella’s (knee’s) whereas the Theraphosa blondi can be identified via having the presence of setae on the patella’s. Just to make things a little more confusing Theraphosa apophysis look very much like Theraphosa blondi at adult stage, both have the setae present on the patella’s although Theraphosa apophysis have much longer metatarsi & tarsi compared to that of the Theraphosa blondi, also its worth mentioning that Theraphosa blondi have much thicker and stockier femur’s.
Hopefully this information has been a small insight into the differences of the three described Theraphosa species, and some of the visual differences among the three species. Obviously there are other differences between these species such as differences in spermathecae, emboli, stridulating organs and so on. Although this is just a short insight and other such details are covered within the official paper by Jan Peter Rudloff & Dirk Weinmann. I would also like to thank Chris Barker & Lisa Ashforth for letting me use their photographs within this thread.
Also please excuse my rubbish drawings as it has been a while!!!
• Theraphosa apophysis - Goliath Pinkfoot (Tinter, 1991) Venezuela
• Theraphosa blondi - Goliath Bird eater (Latreille, 1804) French Guyana, Surinam
• Theraphosa stirmi - Burgundy Goliath (Rudloff & Weinmann, 2010) Guyana
All three species grow to very large sizes of up to and sometimes over eleven inches in leg span. All three also come from North Eastern South America, locations including Venezuela, Guyana, Surinam & French Guyana. Before the recent classification of Theraphosa stirmi many hobbyists believed that there were only two species of Theraphosa within the hobby. Although many other’s actually believed otherwise.
For quite some time the species now known as Theraphosa stirmi was often confused with the species Theraphosa blondi. The main reason for this confusion in a nutshell, the two species, unless you know what you’re looking for they look nearly identical (especially at adult size). To many people and hobbyists this doesn’t matter a great deal, both are nearly identical and also both make wonderful additions to a collection. Although if you’re looking to purchase a Theraphosa you may find that Theraphosa blondi hold a slightly higher price tag than that of the Theraphosa apophysis & Theraphosa stirmi due to availability.
Also its worth mentioning if you are considering breeding Theraphosa, you should always make sure that you pair the correct species with one another. Otherwise you may find that if an egg sac is produced, the eggs within it will not make it to spiderling stage. The main reason for this thread is to hopefully show a few of you ways of telling the different species apart from each other.
Identification at spiderling to juvenile stages is by far the easiest way to tell all three species of Theraphosa apart from one another, as each of the three have a different metatarsus and tarsus colour combinations.
• Theraphosa apophysis have a light pink to white hue on all eight metatarsi, tarsi & on the tips of the pedipalps.
• Theraphosa blondi don’t have any light pink to white hue on any metatarsi, tarsi or pedipalps.
• Theraphosa stirmi have the same light pink to white hue on the metatarsi & tarsi on leg pairs I & II.
The visual identifications of the three at sub-adult to adult stages can be a lot trickier, although certainly not impossible. Theraphosa stirmi as adults lack setae on their patella’s (knee’s) whereas the Theraphosa blondi can be identified via having the presence of setae on the patella’s. Just to make things a little more confusing Theraphosa apophysis look very much like Theraphosa blondi at adult stage, both have the setae present on the patella’s although Theraphosa apophysis have much longer metatarsi & tarsi compared to that of the Theraphosa blondi, also its worth mentioning that Theraphosa blondi have much thicker and stockier femur’s.
Theraphosa apophysis picture by Chris Barker
Theraphosa blondi picture by Lisa Ashforth
Theraphosa stirmi picture by erm, me...
Hopefully this information has been a small insight into the differences of the three described Theraphosa species, and some of the visual differences among the three species. Obviously there are other differences between these species such as differences in spermathecae, emboli, stridulating organs and so on. Although this is just a short insight and other such details are covered within the official paper by Jan Peter Rudloff & Dirk Weinmann. I would also like to thank Chris Barker & Lisa Ashforth for letting me use their photographs within this thread.
Also please excuse my rubbish drawings as it has been a while!!!
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...i will make the leep one day
