A Tarantula Identification Thread of My Own.

[Godzilla2000]

I bought a Tarantula today that I'd like to know the scientific name for. I paid a whopping $24.99 for it too. The label for the Tarantula said it was a Himalayan "something" Baboon. (I totally forgot the whole name of the spider! It must be Altzheimer's kicking in early. This is the best picture I could take of it without having to put my camera in the Pet Pal itself. Anyone have any ideas as to the scientific name?

 

[Godzilla2000]

I just wanted to add that I started this thread also to see if it had been wrongly labeled as well. They still have the one T I know is a Pink Zebra Beauty mislabeled as a Pink Beauty.

 

[conipto]

Hard to tell from that picture.. does it have a black horn central on the carapace?

Bill

 

[Godzilla2000]

It does not have a horn. It's a tannish brown color with Chevrone markings on it's rump. Basically it looks like a deep colored Usambara. I have a better picture I took of it really close too. I just haven't gotten around to uploading it into my PC yet.

 

[Godzilla2000]

Here's a better pic of the Tarantula. I've compared this to the Chinese Fawn pictures at Invertepets and they look similiar. But I could be wrong. It was labeled as a Himalayan "something" Baboon. Anyone know of any Asian Baboons from the Himalayan region?

 

[phoenixxavierre]

Looks to me like a Pterinochilus species, commonly known as a Baboon spider.

Is there any chance you could get a shot of the abdomen and carapace from an overhead position?

Cheers,

Paul

 

[Godzilla2000]

At this point in time the Tarantula is still perched on top of the Deli cup right now. I will try to get an underside shot the minute it decides it wants to crawl on the glass.

 

[Godzilla2000]

I did a little detective work of my own based on my firsthand view of my new spider and I've copme up with two main contenders for species identification. Here are a few pictures of it care of http://www.e-spiderworld.com

This is my first choice.
*Pterinochilus hindei*

This is the one I'm going with.
*Pterinochilus widenmanni *

Anyone care to give me their interpretations?

 

[Nixy]

Originally posted by Godzilla2000
Anyone care to give me their interpretations?

Orange bitey thing with a brown coat.

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by Nixy
Orange bitey thing with a brown coat.

It is in the same Genus. But the picture of the Pterinochilus widenmanni is the closest picture that resembles the Tarantula I bought. That and this picture looks really close as well.

*Dodoma Baboon (Pterinochilus species)*
http://www.invertepet.com/images/dodoma.jpg

 

[Lostkat]

My guess would be a Dodoma Baboon too.

 

[MrT]

I'm with Lostkat,
Dodoma baboon,

Ernie

 

[phoenixxavierre]

From what I can see of your picture it is a P. lugardi. However, I could probably say for certain if I had a good view of the markings and coloration on the dorsal surface of the carapace and abdomen.

Dodoma is merely a common name encompassing anything caught in Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania.

There's a possibility it could be either P. vorax, P. lugardi, P. murinus, or even P. chordatus.

P. hindei is no longer a valid name, unless I'm mistaken.

Can you share some more pics with a dorsal view of abdomen/carapace showing striations and the abdominal patterns?

Take care,

Paul

 

[rknralf]

I know what this one is...

I have one and did a ton of research work to figure out what it was. After talking to many people and looking and lots of people, I came up with Pterinochilus weidemanni like you. However, weidemanni was rolled into Pterinochilus chordatus in Gallon's latest revision. Mine was sold to me as a chocolate baboon.
I'm sure you will enjoy yours. Mine is a feisty female around 4 inches. If yours turns out to be a male, email me as I would love to breed this species.
Good luck with your new addition!
Ralph

 

[Godzilla2000]

Re: I know what this one is...

Originally posted by rknralf
I have one and did a ton of research work to figure out what it was. After talking to many people and looking and lots of people, I came up with Pterinochilus weidemanni like you. However, weidemanni was rolled into Pterinochilus chordatus in Gallon's latest revision. Mine was sold to me as a chocolate baboon.
I'm sure you will enjoy yours. Mine is a feisty female around 4 inches. If yours turns out to be a male, email me as I would love to breed this species.
Good luck with your new addition!
Ralph

Unfortunately I think my T is a female. She's around 4 inches herself.

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by phoenixxavierre
From what I can see of your picture it is a P. lugardi. However, I could probably say for certain if I had a good view of the markings and coloration on the dorsal surface of the carapace and abdomen.

Dodoma is merely a common name encompassing anything caught in Dodoma, United Republic of Tanzania.

There's a possibility it could be either P. vorax, P. lugardi, P. murinus, or even P. chordatus.

P. hindei is no longer a valid name, unless I'm mistaken.

Can you share some more pics with a dorsal view of abdomen/carapace showing striations and the abdominal patterns?

Take care,

Paul

Here are a few of the best shots I could get of my new addition's rump. She has wedged herself near the side of the Pet Pal at an impossible angle for me to shoot these few, blurry, aerial shots. But you can see the striation pretty well.

 

[Godzilla2000]

Second Pic:

 

[belewfripp]

I'm with Ralph, I think its P. chordatus.

Adrian

 

[Godzilla2000]

Originally posted by belewfripp
I'm with Ralph, I think its P. chordatus.

Adrian

If this is so, P. chordatus (widenmanni) is a very rare thing to find in the market according to most if the articles I've been reading. I'd think $24.99 is a steal for a rare species. But if she's a Dodoma Baboon (Pterinochilus sp.) then it's right on the money as far as pricing goes. But could it be that the two Pteris are one and the same? They both have very similar striation of the rump area.

 

[belewfripp]

As noted by phoenix, Dodoma baboon is just a geographic common name, likely not tied to any specific tarantula but rather several tarantulas that occur in the area or a tarantula with a wide variation in color, something Pterinochilus is known for. As for rarity, chances are if that is what some of these Dodoma and 'chocolate' baboons are they haven't been id'd as such by anyone of taxonomic ability and so no one would really know they are here and available except layfolk like us who are making educated guesses.

I generally refer to mine as 'probably Pterinochilus chordatus' or 'possibly Pterinochilus chordatus'.

Adrian