# "Avicularia urticans" (Peruvian pinktoe) - ID Help



## JC (Feb 23, 2010)

A friend showed me a picture of his Avicularia female which was sold to him as _*Avicularia urticans*_. I was quite impressed with the color and beauty of this tarantula, but I couldn't remember seeing anything else quite like it. My first impression was that it looked a lot like _Avicularia juruensis_ because of the bands on the legs, but I wasn't too sure of it either. Here she is:









And here is what shows up as A.urticans when run on a search engine:

http://www.kenthebugguy.com/popup_image.php?pID=1069&osCsid=c2902982bb5c52052dd1578dbee402db


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## xhexdx (Feb 23, 2010)

I'm not saying either of them is correct (or incorrect), but I'd like to point out that search engines will pull up mislabeled images all the time and are *not* reliable.

EDIT:  I noticed that second pic is from Ken's site.  I would imagine his pics are pretty reliable, but I'm also not very experienced with the Avicularia genus.  I never had much interest in them until recently, and the only two species I have at this point are minatrix and versicolor.


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## Jon3800 (Feb 24, 2010)

xhexdx said:


> I'm not saying either of them is correct (or incorrect), but I'd like to point out that search engines will pull up mislabeled images all the time and are *not* reliable.
> 
> This is true.  I gave JC permission to use my picture and it was sold to me as A.urticans, but now as I'm doing research, it's more likely to be Avicularia aurantiaca.  All I can says, it's one  of my Avics thats definetely not handleable


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## xhexdx (Feb 24, 2010)

Jon3800 said:


> This is true.  I gave JC permission to use my picture and it was sold to me as A.urticans, but now as I'm doing research, it's more likely to be Avicularia aurantiaca.  All I can says, it's one  of my Avics thats definetely not handleable


I was referring to the other pic, by the way.


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## Jon3800 (Feb 24, 2010)

xhexdx said:


> I was referring to the other pic, by the way.


sorry my bad.


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## gumby (Feb 24, 2010)

Why are you unable to handle him? I know some Avics are a little more feisty then others but I don't see very many Avics being labeled as be careful don't handle this one.


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## Jon3800 (Feb 24, 2010)

JC, might want to take a look at this one 

http://www.arachnopets.com/tarantulas/tgallery/aurticans01.htm,

very similar looking to mine.  There was some flash involved when I took that pic LOL.


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## Jon3800 (Feb 24, 2010)

gumby said:


> Why are you unable to handle him? I know some Avics are a little more feisty then others but I don't see very many Avics being labeled as be careful don't handle this one.


She tried biting without any threat on 2 different occasions, when I gently prodded her on the abdomen.  My A.versicolor is a lot worse tho... will threat if she's touched in anyway. My P.subfusca is better tempered


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## JC (Feb 24, 2010)

Jon3800 said:


> JC, might want to take a look at this one
> 
> http://www.arachnopets.com/tarantulas/tgallery/aurticans01.htm,
> 
> very similar looking to mine.  There was some flash involved when I took that pic LOL.



I'm starting to think it is Avicularia aurantiaca too. Interesting. The flash is not a problem Jon. If anything it brings out more color. I don't think I would have noticed the purple abdomen if it weren't there.  Also check out this one. Its labeled as Avicularia aurantiaca as well.

http://www.r-haemmerle.de/images/Avicularia_aurantiaca.jpg

If it is Avicularia aurantiaca it would make sense why Ken's pics are different. By the way I have 6 juvie/adult A.urticans coming in this week from Ken. I will post some pics of those when they get here.


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## Jon3800 (Feb 24, 2010)

I've just looked at that very same pic...and I'm like REALLY???
Did Amanda from Tarantula Canada ever get back to you?


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## JC (Feb 24, 2010)

Jon3800 said:


> I've just looked at that very same pic...and I'm like REALLY???
> Did Amanda from Tarantula Canada ever get back to you?


No I have not contacted her yet. Will do shortly.


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## JC (Feb 25, 2010)

I received my Avicularia urticans group today. Well, they sure don't look like yours Jon, but that's not to say I'm disappointed with what I received. 


_Avicularia urticans_


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## Terry D (Feb 26, 2010)

*Sweet spider/ terrible search engines*

JC, The subtle colors of the Avic combined with the fuzziness is interesting. Agreeing with the owner- it looks mean, adds to the allure!

In regards to search engines, especially images- I find they're wrong almost 100% of the time when searching for obscure species of anything- especially butterflies or birds- often wrong when looking for obscures near beginning of scroll of pics. Even boldly-marked species are often wrong near mid to bottom of scroll, although the pics of many are actually identified right on pop-up description of thumbnail- but then placed in with the totally different animal you're looking for. That's because the article accompanying often mentions what you're looking for in text only- which has nothing to do with the image you're looking for- imop. Search engines, pshhhh....... Most others are better at searching than I- a confessed cyber-ijjit for the most part.  Terry D


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## JC (Feb 26, 2010)

Terry D said:


> JC, The subtle colors of the Avic combined with the fuzziness is interesting. Agreeing with the owner- it looks mean, adds to the allure!
> 
> In regards to search engines, especially images- I find they're wrong almost 100% of the time when searching for obscure species of anything- especially butterflies or birds- often wrong when looking for obscures near beginning of scroll of pics. Even boldly-marked species are often wrong near mid to bottom of scroll, although the pics of many are actually identified right on pop-up description of thumbnail- but then placed in with the totally different animal you're looking for. That's because the article accompanying often mentions what you're looking for in text only- which has nothing to do with the image you're looking for- imop. Search engines, pshhhh....... Most others are better at searching than I- a confessed cyber-ijjit for the most part.  Terry D


Yeah, but the images that kept popping up were Ken's photos of this species which is why I trusted them. I now have reason to believe mine is actually Avicularia sp. "Peru Purple", which would make a lot of sense.


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## KenTheBugGuy (Feb 26, 2010)

*urticans*

The reason these are labled urticans are cause of these pics on Rick West site.

http://www.birdspiders.com/gallery/search.php?dosearch=true&field=desc&query=urticans


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## JC (Feb 26, 2010)

KenTheBugGuy said:


> The reason these are labled urticans are cause of these pics on Rick West site.
> 
> http://www.birdspiders.com/gallery/search.php?dosearch=true&field=desc&query=urticans


oh-oh. One step back for me.


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## JC (Feb 26, 2010)

KenTheBugGuy said:


> The reason these are labled urticans are cause of these pics on Rick West site.
> 
> http://www.birdspiders.com/gallery/search.php?dosearch=true&field=desc&query=urticans


Is it possible Rick West made a mistake? I mean, they are from the same exact place,look very much alike, except A. sp. Peru is a lot more extreme looking. Mine look like the spiders listed as A.sp. peru from long ago.


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## Cbarr (Feb 26, 2010)

Trying to id a t via the Internet will land u 50 pictures of avicularia urticans, that all look different Ricks pictures all look to be a. Urticans to me, do it the right way and wait till she molts then compare her spermathacae to the illustrations by schmidt of avicularia urticans spermathacae!

C


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## JC (Feb 26, 2010)

Cbarr said:


> do it the right way and wait till she molts then compare her spermathacae to the illustrations by schmidt of avicularia urticans spermathacae!
> 
> C


Good point.


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## JC (Feb 26, 2010)

Just got a message for Rick West. I asked about his pictures and compared them to mine. This is what he said:

"*Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing from an image.  This species
'appears'
to be Avicularia urticans.

-Rick West*"


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## robc (Feb 27, 2010)

JC said:


> Is it possible Rick West made a mistake? I mean, they are from the same exact place,look very much alike, except A. sp. Peru is a lot more extreme looking. Mine look like the spiders listed as A.sp. peru from long ago.


Here is my A Sp. peru:

Video:

[YOUTUBE]oeoEuW364RA[/YOUTUBE]

*Pics*


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## KenTheBugGuy (Feb 27, 2010)

*Ok*

So I want to point this out before people think any different.  If these are not urticans they still have teh same value as before.  Reason being there are the same amount of them here right now.  Many people have called these urticans. The thing is most of the stuff comming out of peru comes from only a 1 source and well that source is only getting one of the 2 species mostly.  Just my take.   Now I would love to know 100% if it is one species or the other.


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## KenTheBugGuy (Feb 27, 2010)

*also*

I would also like to point out that saying avicularia sp peru is the same as saying I have an avicularia that came from peru that I am not sure of what species it is.  Meaning it could be an urticans or something else cause I am not sure....nothing wrong with this just saying it does not mean new species or something different.


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## ccamaleon3000 (Feb 27, 2010)

well in my opinion are sp peru and im not gonna say about you prices ken you prices are ok to me that's what paul, james and other dealers told me is not us that's how it came in the label and you guys are right plus is impossible that you guys gonna do the research if you dealing whit 100+ sales all day or keep the slings until are big to see what they are actually i was looking for a male of the sp peru im gonna try to get couple from you 


PS: from the pictures i see in Rick West i see 3 diferent tarantulas mislabel 2 are sp peru 1 sp amazonica 1 purpurea 1 urtican the last one down is urtican's plus look on the day of the pictures 1994 dealers were selling back in the days just pink toe's no names no sp. well no classification thats why this genius is a mess


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## JC (Feb 27, 2010)

Just my personal opinion. I think these Avics are worth more that what they are selling for. It has an amazing combination of color and structure rarely seen in any other animal.


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## JC (Feb 27, 2010)

robc said:


> Here is my A Sp. peru:


I think that's a match!


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## billopelma (Feb 27, 2010)

Photo id'ing avics...
Pentaxonomy at it's best...
About as far as you can go with that is A. sp. urticans complex Peru something-or-other

Bill


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## KenTheBugGuy (Feb 27, 2010)

JC said:


> Just my personal opinion. I think these Avics are worth more that what they are selling for. It has an amazing combination of color and structure rarely seen in any other animal.


Now that I have to agree on they are absolutely stunning animals. When they shed they have bluish tent on all thier legs also.   I think what has driven thier price down is just quantity of them and the fact that some reptile importers pull them in and sell them way cheap.


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## JC (Feb 27, 2010)

billopelma said:


> Photo id'ing avics...
> Pentaxonomy at it's best...
> About as far as you can go with that is A. sp. urticans complex Peru something-or-other
> 
> Bill


Well, I'm waiting for a molt from one of these spiders to ID them better. Until then I see nothing wrong with comparing photos to see which molt of which species of spider I should be looking at. But thanks for contributing to this thread.


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## robc (Feb 27, 2010)

KenTheBugGuy said:


> So I want to point this out before people think any different.  If these are not urticans they still have teh same value as before.  Reason being there are the same amount of them here right now.  Many people have called these urticans. The thing is most of the stuff comming out of peru comes from only a 1 source and well that source is only getting one of the 2 species mostly.  Just my take.   Now I would love to know 100% if it is one species or the other.


Totally agree with that Ken. The Avics are a mess LOL!!


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## ccamaleon3000 (Feb 27, 2010)

billopelma said:


> Photo id'ing avics...
> Pentaxonomy at it's best...
> About as far as you can go with that is A. sp. urticans complex Peru something-or-other
> 
> Bill


you right but on the pictures of Rick West he using same camera and same light you can see the difference from one in other one really clear i own 19 different avics and im talking from 5 to 10 of each and when you dealing whit those tarantulas for more that 5 years you can see the difference. if you don't own most of the avics are in the market you will never see much. some cameras will make sp peru more blue and other cameras will make sp peru more purple but it will never make that more green like the true avic urtican

Juan


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## mynameisjohn (Apr 28, 2010)

*avic ID plsss help *newbie*

need id for this avic.. 

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/254/27042010847.jpg

:?:?:?


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## JC (Apr 28, 2010)

mynameisjohn said:


> need id for this avic..
> 
> http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/254/27042010847.jpg
> 
> :?:?:?



Ask Juan.

Looks to me like A.amazonica or A.peru purple.


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## ccamaleon3000 (Apr 28, 2010)

when i say to check on picture it have to be 4"+ no a sling remember 90% of avicularias slings all look like it when do you see them mature that's when you can see the difference from one and an other one


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