I don't own S. cal either and I understand they can be quite variable in appearance, but don't they lack the iridescence this specimen displays, as well as this specimen is lacking the darker carapace/abdomen markings typically seen with S. cal.
@Jocbean, can we get more pictures from different angles and a DLS measurement? This is getting interesting.
I'm not seeing the same tarantula. Comparing abdomens, the one pictured is lacking the distinct, full central stripe and the two dots either side of the stripe. In fact, the pictured specimen has 4 dots, and they're actually physical indentations if you look closely (which is indicative of Psalmopoeus to me) which are set much farther back on the abdomen then the pictured S. cal. The pictured S. cal is also lacking the iridescent glimmer of the pictured specimen on the carapace and the S. cal has distinct dark markings on the carapace that run down either side of the center line where the pictured specimen doesn't. I have no doubt that it's Psalmopoeus, but I don't know what species exactly. It might even be a male P. pulcher.
Yeah, that pulcher you posted for comparison is a MATURE MALE, which looks distinctly different from its juvie and female counterparts (like all Psalmos)...the pic in question here is absolutely NOT a mature male.
Yeah, that pulcher you posted for comparison is a MATURE MALE, which looks distinctly different from its juvie and female counterparts (like all Psalmos)...the pic in question here is absolutely NOT a mature male.
There's nothing in the picture to give a sense of scale, no size was mentioned, and only one pedipalp is visible from a top down view. If I may ask, how are you 100% sure (genuinely curious as you're more experienced)? To me, it's much, much more visually similar then any pic I've seen of S. cal at any stage of development. I'm not saying it's 100% a P. pulcher or a MM, but I am saying that 100% it's Psalmopoeus and I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong.
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