Acanthophrynus habitat

[JohnDapiaoen]

I'm curious if there's any research papers regarding Acanthophrynus coronatus and their habitat. Would they prefer an arid, humid or temperate climate? And are they found in caves or trees or just under rocks. I couldn't find anything about them.

-JohnD.

 

[JohnDapiaoen]

I think I found the answer by comparing two maps of Mexico. The top map I screenshotted off inaturalist.org and the bottom is a Google search of Mexicos climate. The reports are mainly along the tropical forest range which tells me that is their preferred climate.

 

[schmiggle]

They tend to occur in tropical dry scrub.

 

[JohnDapiaoen]

They tend to occur in tropical dry scrub.

So it would be best to keep them more dry than humid?

 

[schmiggle]

So it would be best to keep them more dry than humid?

No, pretty sure Amblypygi universally live in humid microhabitats.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

No, pretty sure Amblypygi universally live in humid microhabitats.

This. Without sufficient moisture they will have trouble moulting and eating prey, and can simply die by dessication. They will choose moist, sheltered spaces within whatever environment they are in.

 

[schmiggle]

To add on to @Albireo Wulfbooper , I've heard of lots of issues with whipspiders having insufficient humidity, including species from arid areas. I've never heard of an amblypygid suffering from too much moisture, and Paraphrynus mexicanus (new Latin name now that I forget for the American species, but formerly) can be kept basically the same as any other species despite being native to the Sonoran desert.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

For the record, I keep my Acanthophrynus coronatus the same way I keep my Damon diadema, Phrynus barbadensis, and Phrynus whitei - moist substrate, room temperature (I never let them get below 20ºC but it can range from 20ºC to 32ºC thanks to my lack of AC), a small screened ventilation hole, and a tall vertical material (cork, styrofoam, etc) to climb and moult on. That's it. All four species are happy and healthy with exactly the same conditions, even though they're from quite different environments, because they all seek the same type of microenvironment.

 

[schmiggle]

For the record, I keep my Acanthophrynus coronatus

You Canadians with your giant readily available whipspiders. If it wasn't for the fact that the country is a glacier I might consider moving there.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

You Canadians with your giant readily available whipspiders. If it wasn't for the fact that the country is a glacier I might consider moving there.

I'll have you know that only 98% of our great landmass is glacier. The rest is merely frigid.

 

[ThemantismanofPA]

its been rumored one was discovered in southern arizona, only a single picture is available on bugguide

 

[Edan bandoot]

its been rumored one was discovered in southern arizona, only a single picture is available on bugguide

I talked to someone who said it was likely transported accidently inside of mexican cargo

 

[Banshee05]

I'm curious if there's any research papers regarding Acanthophrynus coronatus and their habitat. Would they prefer an arid, humid or temperate climate? And are they found in caves or trees or just under rocks. I couldn't find anything about them.

-JohnD.

soon a paper dealing with this aspects will be out. All questions will be anserwed with it.

 

[Banshee05]

here it is, still not available, but soon...
Schramm, F.D., Valdez-Mondragón, A., Prendini, L. (2021). Volcanism and paleoclimate change drive diversification of world’s largest whip spider (Amblypygi). Molecular Ecology. doi.org/10.1111/mec.15924

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