Sexing Cupiennius and Heteropoda

[Tangled]

Can some one point me to a source with images for sexing Cupiennius coccineus, Heteropoda lunula, and H. davidbowie? I keep finding threads where the images are no longer present and I'm not finding anything on google.

 

[The Snark]

A rough rule I use with sparassids. The abdomen is the same width as the cephalothorax = female. Obviously slimmer, male.

 

[Tangled]

A rough rule I use with sparassids. The abdomen is the same width as the cephalothorax = female. Obviously slimmer, male.

Thanks. Mine all look plump, but are only 1.5-2 inches (4-5 cm) when on a vertical surface with their legs curled forward so still have some growing to do.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Mature males will have huge bulbous pedipalps, females will generally be heavier bodied than males as well

 

[NYAN]

You can sex them once they become closer to maturity.

 

[The Snark]

Mature males will have huge bulbous pedipalps,

Usually the case, but some, like the Venatoria around here, cheat:
Typical mature male. Palps not noticeably swollen.

I'm suspecting they undergo a transition phase between maturing and an interest in romance that can last for weeks or even months.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

Usually the case, but some, like the Venatoria around here, cheat:
Typical mature male. Palps not noticeably swollen.

I'm suspecting they undergo a transition phase between maturing and an interest in romance that can last for weeks or even months.

I was under the impression they moulted into maturity with permanent swollen palps. Any reason some of them don’t have swollen palps or is it just genetic?

 

[The Snark]

I was under the impression they moulted into maturity with permanent swollen palps. Any reason some of them don’t have swollen palps or is it just genetic?

I was too. Darned good question I have no answer to. I asked Jaeger about it a while back and he was uncertain and wanted to see specimens.
But nearly all MMs I have seen around here, probably around 30 or more, look exactly like that one pictured. They develop the custom paint job around maturity. Females are always more uniform coloration, commonly drab darkish brown and a bulkier body around here. I keep hoping somebody could shine some light on this.

I just did a search of Venatoria images. None of the MMs have significantly swollen palps. What gives here?
The most swollen I've yet seen:

Wikimedia Commons

 

[Tangled]

The researcher in this video -

- points out a "black dot" on the abdomen (at the epigyne) that she uses to differentiate males from females in Delena cancerides. Aside from a mature male with palpal bulbs, are there any other "tells?" Or literature that discusses sexual dimorphism?

 

[Dennis Nedry]

The researcher in this video -

- points out a "black dot" on the abdomen (at the epigyne) that she uses to differentiate males from females in Delena cancerides. Aside from a mature male with palpal bulbs, are there any other "tells?" Or literature that discusses sexual dimorphism?

Yeah I’ve noticed the black dot on everything from jumping spiders to huntsmans, I’m pretty sure it’s the opening in the female’s abdomen the male presses his pedipalp into during mating. Certain species of huntsman are also very easy to tell make and female apart just by looking at them, plenty have sexually dimorphism colours and markings

 

[Tangled]

So, my Heteropoda davidbowie are apparently mature. I thought they would be larger. Body length is just at 2 cm. Anyway, I have them in 4x4x8 inch Amac containers which seems ample room for the spider, but if I pair them and am successful, is that large enough for her and babies? If not, what size enclosure would you recommend?

The following are images of my male and my female.