Aphonopelma sp. Diamondback... a very confusing species

[klawfran3]

I'm curious as to what people know about this species, as I don't think I've seen a single person who is able to confirm that slings labeled "Aphonopelma sp. Diamondback" actually turn into the spider we know it as. I am talking about the chunky looking Aphonopelma with a black back half of the body, and a tan front half.

I think I remember seeing a post a few months ago about someone who raised some slings into adulthood and they looked nothing like that spider, but instead were dwarf and a totally different color. I also can't seem to find a ton of photos of them online, and many of the diamondback photos are of the same individual. Things seem kind of fish around spiders labeled as diamondbacks, and I see them sold all over but can never seem to find any info on what they grow in to.

I recently had my sling molt and start to show adult colors, and it really confused me a bit. It looks almost like a weird B. Emilia in coloration, but much darker. Here is the photo I took of her today.

So I ask, those of us who have kept this species, what does yours look like, how does it change color as it grows, and can anyone shed some light on what seems to be a confusing or consistently mislabeled spider species?

 

[viper69]

No emilia

 

[l4nsky]

I think I remember seeing a post a few months ago about someone who raised some slings into adulthood and they looked nothing like that spider, but instead were dwarf and a totally different color.

@AphonopelmaTX

I have a sexed juvie female, but I bought her at that size so I can't say what slings look like or if they go through any changes as the grow. I don't really even have a lot of pictures of her at present, just these two from when I got her and she was in a temporary enclosure about three molts ago.


She's in a small haplotank now with an extensive burrow system, but she is due an upgrade. When that happens, I'll fix my issue of the lack of pictures lol.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I'm curious as to what people know about this species, as I don't think I've seen a single person who is able to confirm that slings labeled "Aphonopelma sp. Diamondback" actually turn into the spider we know it as. I am talking about the chunky looking Aphonopelma with a black back half of the body, and a tan front half.

I think I remember seeing a post a few months ago about someone who raised some slings into adulthood and they looked nothing like that spider, but instead were dwarf and a totally different color. I also can't seem to find a ton of photos of them online, and many of the diamondback photos are of the same individual. Things seem kind of fish around spiders labeled as diamondbacks, and I see them sold all over but can never seem to find any info on what they grow in to.

I recently had my sling molt and start to show adult colors, and it really confused me a bit. It looks almost like a weird B. Emilia in coloration, but much darker. Here is the photo I took of her today.

So I ask, those of us who have kept this species, what does yours look like, how does it change color as it grows, and can anyone shed some light on what seems to be a confusing or consistently mislabeled spider species?

You are probably remembering one of my posts, but my male and female pair never looked like your's though. The closest species to what my "Diamondback" spiderlings grew to look like are what are being called Aphonopelma sp. "Dragoon". As spiderlings mine were just a drab uniform brown. I know I probably don't have the "Dragoon" species because the guy I bought mine from got them from an import from Mexico who said they came from the state of Hidalgo along with my adult female "Diamonback" that looks just like @l4nsky 's above. Apparently, the species "Dragoon" comes from somewhere in the vicinity of the Dragoon Mountains in Arizona.

But yeah, I won't be buying anymore Aphonopelma species in the foreseeable future. The Aphonopelma sp. "Diamondback" and A. mooreae I bought years ago were the last. These days they are way overpriced and there is no telling what you will have after waiting years for the spiderlings to grow up.

You are also right about something being strange with these Diamondbacks. I find it so odd that there have been spiderlings for sale for years now, but yet no one has a picture of an adult male or one that is about half grown. All the pictures I have seen are adult, or near adult, females and tiny spiderlings that have no color or pattern whats-so-ever.

 

[l4nsky]

IIRC, my female is supposedly from Veracruz state in MX, which does border Hidalgo state, so that tracks. In regards to A. sp Dragoons, yes they're a potentially unidentified species hailing from the Dragoon mountain range in AZ.

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/sky-islands-aphonopelma.333202/

 

[A guy]

Me and my friend, who imports from Mexico fairly frequently, talked to Jorge Mendoza about this like 5 years ago or so. Apparently, there are a few localities of these "sp. diamondback" that are being exported. I can only remember Veracruz, Jalisco and Hidalgo.

Not all of them have the two-toned look but yeah, all are being exporter as "sp. diamondback"

To add, he imported a bunch of alleged "sp. diamondback" just last year. When the shipment arrived, all of the specimens just looked like Mexican locality A. chalcodes with more grey tones.

 

[fcat]

IIRC, my female is supposedly from Veracruz state in MX, which does border Hidalgo state, so that tracks. In regards to A. sp Dragoons, yes they're a potentially unidentified species hailing from the Dragoon mountain range in AZ.

https://arachnoboards.com/threads/sky-islands-aphonopelma.333202/

Shhhh don't tell people where to find them

 

[klawfran3]

You are probably remembering one of my posts, but my male and female pair never looked like your's though. The closest species to what my "Diamondback" spiderlings grew to look like are what are being called Aphonopelma sp. "Dragoon". As spiderlings mine were just a drab uniform brown. I know I probably don't have the "Dragoon" species because the guy I bought mine from got them from an import from Mexico who said they came from the state of Hidalgo along with my adult female "Diamonback" that looks just like @l4nsky 's above. Apparently, the species "Dragoon" comes from somewhere in the vicinity of the Dragoon Mountains in Arizona.

But yeah, I won't be buying anymore Aphonopelma species in the foreseeable future. The Aphonopelma sp. "Diamondback" and A. mooreae I bought years ago were the last. These days they are way overpriced and there is no telling what you will have after waiting years for the spiderlings to grow up.

You are also right about something being strange with these Diamondbacks. I find it so odd that there have been spiderlings for sale for years now, but yet no one has a picture of an adult male or one that is about half grown. All the pictures I have seen are adult, or near adult, females and tiny spiderlings that have no color or pattern whats-so-ever.

Yeah your post is the one I was thinking of! I just couldn't remember who it was.

You're right about the males too. I haven't seen a single photo of one and they've been around a couple of years. People are buying the spiders, I've seen then go in and out of stock a few times. But the radio silence of what happens to them when they grow up makes me very suspicious.

I'm interested about the different localities being sent out all as the same "diamondback" moniker. I wonder why they're all being called that, or if we are able to track down which ones came from what shipment. The whole genus is a mess already, and I'm sure this situation doesn't help. But I guess that's the risk we take when we buy the undescribed slings and spiders, we will likely never know what they really are.

I'm a bit excited to see how the colors of mine will change as it grows, it's very unusual. Although I am sad to see that I probably don't own the classic Diamondback that you see so many photos of. It's beautiful.

 

[WolfieKate]

Hello I’ve ordered a Tarantula called a Crassicrus sp Veracruz, two toned spider from Mexico. Is this likely to be an Aphonopelma Sp Diamondback Veracruz? I’m a bit confused. I don’t mind what it is. Just curious. I bought it on the basis of the sale name.

 

[A guy]

Hello I’ve ordered a Tarantula called a Crassicrus sp Veracrus, two toned spider from Mexico. Is this likely to be an Aphonopelma Sp Diamond back? I’m a bit confused. I don’t mind what it is. Just curious. I bought it on the basis of the sale name.

No. A simple search would result in two different species.

 

[WolfieKate]

No. A simple search would result in two different species.

Thank you. I did search but they seemed similar. They are visually superficially similar in Uk adverts. And from the same location in Mexico so I was just checking. Happy to have that clarified. Sometimes names have been changed so I wanted to check.I’m looking forward to her anyway.