Aphonopelma mooreae real species?

[Kirk]

Holy smokes, it does look like a GBB only more vibrant.

Is there any question about whether it belongs in Aphonopelma or not?

You have to compare the characters that formally define the genera. I highly doubt color patterns play much of a part in those definitions.

 

[jbm150]

You have to compare the characters that formally define the genera. I highly doubt color patterns play much of a part in those definitions.

Of this I have no doubt, I was just wondering. It seems to have been formally named (not A. sp. suchandsuch) but just curious if there was any conversation that it might belong somewhere else.

 

[Kirk]

Of this I have no doubt, I was just wondering. It seems to have been formally named (not A. sp. suchandsuch) but just curious if there was any conversation that it might belong somewhere else.

It is a valid species, sensu The World Spider Catalog, having been described in 1995 (Smith, A. M. 1995. Tarantula spiders: Tarantulas of the Insektuto, Konchuaikokai 26: 14-18).

 

[josh_r]

Josh my brother, The Sky Islands that also are in Western NM are one in the same.

No <edit>?? really?? Lol, dude, I spent many years hunting all those mountain ranges. I think I know what the sky islands are and what states they occur in. Fantastic, you think I'm an idiot.

As for being confused with behlei, I find it hard to believe someone can confuse a spider that is jet black with a spider that is metallic green.

 

[Dracarys]

$700+ for a sling, I'd rather just get the GBB. There's isn't too much of a difference in terms of appearance anyway.

 

[Exoskeleton Invertebrates]

$700+ for a sling, I'd rather just get the GBB. There's isn't too much of a difference in terms of appearance anyway.

Who’s selling them for that much?

 

[Dracarys]

Who’s selling them for that much?

A seller in my country in Asia.

 

[CommanderBacon]

I spoke to two different vendors who brought them into the US, working with the same source in MX. Afaik there have been two separate sacs from the same mother but different father. I’ve been told that they can be found on the US side of the border as well, but I haven’t seen/heard of any actual accounts myself.

The fact that the imported spiders were all slings would be a good reason why you won’t see a lot of good photos of them on the boards yet, I think. The only person I know with one showing any color has a faster growing specimen from the same sac as mine.

I have one of from the first sac that came in, and the only species I have that grows slower is my Aphonopelma saguaro. My A mooreae arrived Feb 2019 at half an inch and just finally achieved an inch with its last molt. Behold, the glory:

lol