# Aphonopelma iodius &  Aphonopelma eutylenum



## Jones0911 (Aug 14, 2016)

So I'm looking at Ts on different websites and on one I came across two Aphonopelma species. One is  Aphonopelma iodius and the other is Aphonopelma eutylenum.

I've always stayed away from this genius because I'm not fond of slow growers but something about these two really caught my eye so I think I might get a few of each one.

And probably two of of the Lasiodorides polycuspulatus, the blonde colors on this one and the iodius are really nice and I have no blonde colored Ts so I'll be looking forward to their slow growth process lol...

And the Aphonopelma eutylenum has the velvet black color and close to the same size that the G. Pulchra has.  I've heard the saying before but I'm not sure if this is the T it applies to.... Is this the "poor man's G. Pulchra" or was that in reference to a different  species of T?

Another question I have is these are slow growers people say, is that in reference to the far and few between molts they have a year or do they tend to fast a lot like Rose hairs??


If anyone has a Aphonopelma eutylenum or  Aphonopelma iodius I'd love to hear from you guys/gals.

Also I'd love to hear from two different people who both own Aphonopelma iodius or Aphonopelma eutylenum. So this way I can see the different ways both people keep, feed, temperature etc and the different  growth speeds of both Ts.

I'm also going to look into Aphonopelma bicoloratum I like that pale orange.

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## KezyGLA (Aug 14, 2016)

I like Aphonopelmas. I own a few but no iodius or eutylenum

My slowest growers are chalcodes and hentzi.

The care is pretty much the same for the whole genus. Kept mainly dry. Do ok in lower temps and humidity. Some can be pet rocks aha

They don't seem to have huge appetite but I havent seen them fast anywhere near as long as any of my G. porteri/rosea.

I own A. caniceps (which I believe is the poor mans pulchra) and it is fairly fast growing(for Aphonopelma).
I would say medium growth rate overall.
It also has the velvet black colouring of G. Pulchra. It is one of my favourite Aphono, 2nd only to moderatum.

The 2 that you are interested in are slow growers, so I have been told.

But I guess its hard to find even a medium grower in that genus.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Informative 1


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## Jones0911 (Aug 14, 2016)

KezyGLA said:


> I like Aphonopelmas. I own a few but no iodius or eutylenum
> 
> My slowest growers are chalcodes and hentzi.
> 
> ...


Thanks, even though the slow growth idea isn't something I wanted to hear I'll wait it out lol....at least if I get a male he won't expire as soon as fast growing males of other species lol

Reactions: Agree 1


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## KezyGLA (Aug 14, 2016)

Good things come to those who wait

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## BobBarley (Aug 14, 2016)

A. iodius has a huge range that spans across at least 3 (probably like 5) states with probably many different "morphs".  If you get either species, I would definitely ask for locality info so we don't accidentally muddle up genetics later on down the line.  I keep a female A. chalcodes and she's a sweet girl:


Care was covered really well by KezhGLa

Reactions: Love 4


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## Jones0911 (Aug 14, 2016)

Is this the genus with the Blue carapace And orange-ish abdomen T or is that the Bracky Genus?


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## chanda (Aug 14, 2016)

I really like this genus. They may not be as showy as some species, but they make up for it with their personalities. Also - since I use them in the classroom - I like having a good mix of native and exotic species to show the kids.

I have five _Aphonopelma _that I've caught locally. I'm not sure which species they are because a lot of the SoCal _Aphonopelma_ are difficult to tell apart, but a couple of them are dwarf species (possibly _A. mojave _or _A. joshua_), one is a full-sized mature male (possibly _A. eutelynum _but I can't be certain), and the other two are juveniles but I've no idea which species.

I really like this genus because - at least in my experience - they have a really laid-back, easygoing personality. They are moderately aggressive feeders who have seldom turned down a meal. I've never had one fast for any length of time. (Then again, my _G. rosea_ has never fasted either. That is one girl who really loves to eat! Maybe I just have an exceptionally greedy bunch of Ts.) Except for the male, they do spend quite a bit of the day in their hides (especially the younger ones) but they are active at night, even if the room lights are on - unlike the _P. vittata_ who usually runs and hides when I turn on the light and walk into the room. They rarely posture or even threaten to flick hairs - mine have never done those things, but I have had a couple of wild mature males posture or raise their back legs as if they were going to start flicking when I got too close with a camera. They are very amenable to occasional careful handling. (I hold them for classroom demonstrations a few times a year. Yes, I sometimes hold my spiders. Gather the torches and pitchforks and cue the angry mob.) The one in my profile picture is a wild male that I found stuck in a tree (dangling from a branch by just his front legs, like the "Hang in there, Baby!" kitten on those motivational posters) and helped down. He was very cooperative when I lifted him down and allowed me to hold him for several pictures before I sent him on his way.

I keep all my _Aphonopelma_ pretty dry on a substrate of sand/dirt mixed with coconut fiber. I do provide water dishes but don't often see them use them. I also mist lightly once or twice a week and have seen them drinking water droplets off the sides of the tank. The temperatures in the room typically range from high 60's-low 70's at night to high 70's-mid 80's in the daytime (summer) with the occasional day where they might hit low 90's if we don't turn on the A/C in the house. In the winter we use a space heater in the room and the temperature is a bit more constant in the mid 70's to low 80's. We also keep a humidifier running in the room.

They do seem to be a bit slower to molt than some of the other T's I have, but all of them have molted at least once (the younger ones twice) in the past year. As with most of my Ts, they usually just surprise me with a molt one morning without making an extensive production about going pre-molt. I do have one, though, that barricaded herself in her hide several months ago and hasn't been out since. Of all the 20+ Ts I have, this is the first time I've ever had one do that. Most of them will continue to be out and about and feeding right up until they molt. I'm just giving her a little extra humidity by misting (since she isn't coming out to the water dish) and leaving her alone.

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## chanda (Aug 14, 2016)

Jones0911 said:


> Thanks, even though the slow growth idea isn't something I wanted to hear I'll wait it out lol....at least if I get a male he won't expire as soon as fast growing males of other species lol


That's true! My mature male hooked out over a year ago and is still hanging in there. Of course, he's a little on the scrawny and threadbare looking side now - a balding, skinny, little old man - but he's surprising spry for his age, eats well, and is still quite active.

Reactions: Love 2


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## Jones0911 (Aug 14, 2016)

chanda said:


> That's true! My mature male hooked out over a year ago and is still hanging in there. Of course, he's a little on the scrawny and threadbare looking side now - a balding, skinny, little old man - but he's surprising spry for his age, eats well, and is still quite active.


Can he still make sperm webs?

Can he still make babies?

What Aphonopelma species is he exactly?


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## chanda (Aug 14, 2016)

Jones0911 said:


> Can he still make sperm webs?
> 
> Can he still make babies?
> 
> What Aphonopelma species is he exactly?


I suspect that he's too old to reproduce at this point. I've never tried breeding tarantulas, but if I were looking for a mature male for a breeding project, I'd give this guy a pass in favor of a freshly-molted male.  I don't know what species he is. Someone else told me they thought he might be _A. eutylenum_ but I'm not sure. A lot of our Southern California _Aphonopelma_ look very much alike. As a juvenile he was predominantly a dark brown but when he had his final molt he emerged a gorgeous velvety black.


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## Jones0911 (Aug 14, 2016)

Interesting
..hmmm


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## chanda (Aug 14, 2016)

BobBarley said:


> A. iodius has a huge range that spans across at least 3 (probably like 5) states with probably many different "morphs".  If you get either species, I would definitely ask for locality info so we don't accidentally muddle up genetics later on down the line.  I keep a female A. chalcodes and she's a sweet girl:
> View attachment 217892
> 
> Care was covered really well by KezhGLa


She's gorgeous! _A. chalcodes_ is on my "want" list. In fact, I'm just about to leave for the Reptile Super Show in Pomona - and if they have one of these I  might have a hard time passing it up! I just don't know where I'll put it, since every cage and shelf if my bug room is already full. I do have a couple of mature males, though - a freshly-molted _L. parahybana_ that I'd like to sell/trade for something else and a not-so-fresh _Aphonopelma _of some sort that's already been mature for over a year and shouldn't last much longer) so that'll give me a couple of empty cages - eventually.


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## viper69 (Aug 14, 2016)

Jones0911 said:


> I've heard the saying before but I'm not sure if this is the T it applies to.... Is this the "poor man's G. Pulchra"


This is true in terms of the phrase. You don't see Aphonopelma eutylenum offered that often. I can only think of two times.

I've seen an AF female, and the build is very similar to AF G. pulchra. I think pulchra's are just a bit more shiny IMO.

Both are great species to own.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Informative 2 | Face Palm 1


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## KezyGLA (Aug 14, 2016)

Here is a photo of a young A. caniceps. View media item 35024
The carapace darkens as it reaches adult. It is pretty much the same build as G. pulchra from sling to adult.

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## Jones0911 (Aug 14, 2016)

KezyGLA said:


> Here is a photo of a young A. caniceps. View media item 35024
> The carapace darkens as it reaches adult. It is pretty much the same build as G. pulchra from sling to adult.



I haven't seen these offered anywhere in the USA...are available in the classifieds or just at shows?

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## KezyGLA (Aug 14, 2016)

I purchased from a dealer in the UK. I have only seen them pop up once or twice over the years, in very small quantities.

I believe they are found in Guanajuato, Mexico.

Reactions: Informative 1


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## KezyGLA (Aug 14, 2016)

I have seen one for sale in a pet shop here under the name "Mexican Black Beauty"


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## jiacovazzi (Aug 15, 2016)

Jones0911 said:


> So I'm looking at Ts on different websites and on one I came across two Aphonopelma species. One is  Aphonopelma iodius and the other is Aphonopelma eutylenum.
> 
> I've always stayed away from this genius because I'm not fond of slow growers but something about these two really caught my eye so I think I might get a few of each one.
> 
> ...



I have two subadult females of each. My eutylenum isn't quite G pulchra-ish in its coloration, looks like a darker chalcodes, and iodius looks similar to chalcodes. I have a bicoloratum female too, my favorite T in my collection. Good luck finding one for sale or a hobbyist who's willing to part with one. Slow growers but worth the wait.

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## Jones0911 (Aug 15, 2016)

jiacovazzi said:


> I have two subadult females of each. My eutylenum isn't quite G pulchra-ish in its coloration, looks like a darker chalcodes, and iodius looks similar to chalcodes. I have a bicoloratum female too, my favorite T in my collection. Good luck finding one for sale or a hobbyist who's willing to part with one. Slow growers but worth the wait.



So I'm better off getting Lasiodorides polycuspulatus for a true blonde T?


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## jiacovazzi (Aug 15, 2016)

Jones0911 said:


> So I'm better off getting Lasiodorides polycuspulatus for a true blonde T?


Why not A. chalcodes?


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## Crone Returns (Aug 15, 2016)

Jones0911 said:


> Is this the genus with the Blue carapace And orange-ish abdomen T or is that the Bracky Genus?


You're thinking about A. seemani. My little juvie is gonna molt once a month!  Maybe she's an overachiever!

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## Jones0911 (Sep 18, 2016)

I was on this T hobby Facebook page and someone posted a photo of an Aphonopelma sp."Mexican diamondback" (Hidalgo)...are these anywhere for sale in the USA from a reputable breeder???

It looks like two different Ts sewn into one lol....I like this look!!


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## Mckrizzal (Oct 1, 2018)

Jones0911 said:


> Is this the genus with the Blue carapace And orange-ish abdomen T or is that the Bracky Genus?


Aphonopelma mooreae


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## Boaz Solorio (Sep 7, 2019)

I found a handful of specimens near Paso Robles, five on a single property in Templeton and one near a body of wayer in Creston. I kept all of them, and interestingly, there were two outliers. One was a very rusty red, likely the former A. chamberlini, but it recently molted and now looks relatively similar to the other specimens, albeit a bit darker in color, even freshly molted. The other outlier was especially dark, with almost no blond. Then, once it molted, it looked rather similar, yet still darker. They were only a couple miles apart, so I can't imagine they're a locality of any sort, but I do wonder if they really are all A. iodius. 
The other three molted, and look exactly like they had previous molt. Much like an A. chalcodes, with a very blond prosoma.


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## Boaz Solorio (Sep 7, 2019)

The first two photos show the oddly dark specimen before and after it's molt. The second set of photos show the oddly red specimen before and after it's molt. The last set of photos shows a normal looking specimen, that looks identical to the other two I found. It's more than likely that this is just some phenotypical variation within the species, but it's entirely possible that these outliers could be different in some way or another. Given the recent revision, I don't really want to make any statements saying these could be different species, as I am not a taxonomist. I'm just sharing my observations. That being said, I will be breeding these once the male matures, would anyone be interested in slings?


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