Arana Polita - Chicken Spider Diary

[AbraxasComplex]

I managed to catch one of the juveniles out and about during the day. I'm quite happy they feel comfortable enough in this tank to venture from the burrow more often than before.


Pic with flash:

More natural lighting:

 

[Mez]

Just read the entire thread, absolutely amazing.

 

[Moltar]

Looking great man. What an amazing project! I wouldn't worry too much about mushrooms in a tank as "alive" as this. Other flora will probably compete with them. Just pull them out as they pop up and don't give them a chance to drop any spores.

 

[AbraxasComplex]

Looking great man. What an amazing project! I wouldn't worry too much about mushrooms in a tank as "alive" as this. Other flora will probably compete with them. Just pull them out as they pop up and don't give them a chance to drop any spores.

Oh don't worry, the mushroom thing was a joke. I always leave mushrooms, let them spore, and they vanish. They do not emerge for another year or so and have never caused issues in any of my tanks.

 

[BrynWilliams]

out of interest, if/when your gravid females drop, are you going to control numbers in the tank or let nature take its course?

 

[AbraxasComplex]

out of interest, if/when your gravid females drop, are you going to control numbers in the tank or let nature take its course?

I have the gravid females in separate containers. Whatever offspring they produce and take care of I will for sure meet all their dietary needs for the entire sac. Once I get two or three sacks this way (if I ever get sacs) and more CS have entered the trade, any sacs in the large tank I will remove some young and let nature take its course for the rest. We are not sure how large a sac is with these guys. It could be 20-30 slings or 200-300 slings. I've seen some large Pamphobeteus clutches, but perhaps with the CS the clutch will be small since extended maternal care promotes a higher survival rate for young.

---------- Post added at 04:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:18 PM ----------

Night time pics:

2 out and about at the same time:

 

[Exo]

Absolutely amazing.

 

[yannigarrido2]

does this species have a proper scientific name? I Know that it is a Pamphobeteus but does it have a particular species name?

 

[Mez]

P. antonious sp. 'insert locale here' ? *runs*

 

[AbraxasComplex]

P. antonious sp. 'insert locale here' ? *runs*

Haha, you better run.


To answer your question yannigarrido2, there isn't one. Some people say it is Pamphobeteus antinous, yet P.antinous from other locales do not exhibit the social behavior seen in the Chicken Spider. Though even I have to admit I cannot tell the CS apart from P.antinous. Switch the labeling up and I would only be able to tell based on social behavior.

For now, until someone more qualified identifies them, myself, and a few others, will continue referring to them as Pamphobeteus sp. Chicken Spider/Araña Pollito.

We no longer need to kick a dead horse on what this species is. We currently just do not know.

 

[Merfolk]

They were difference in behavior within a same sp (I think I read about X immanis behaving differently from place to place) but eventually, living a different lifestyle will lead them to branch out completely in the event that they used to be one species in the past.

But the REAL question is : How much will you sell them when you'll be able to? : )

 

[Najakeeper]

Can't it be a P.antinious subspecies that developed a localized social behaviour?

Love the thread by the way, great job!

 

[Mez]

Can't it be a P.antinious subspecies that developed a localized social behaviour?

Love the thread by the way, great job!

This is my thoughts, something along the lines of harsh winds around a certain area, making them all congregate together.

 

[Najakeeper]

This is my thoughts, something along the lines of harsh winds around a certain area, making them all congregate together.

Or these live in an area where some quality "herb" grows. Prey items consume the "herb" and these eat the prey. They end up thinking "chill out maaan, let's not eat each other anymore, let's eat these purple bugs that walk on the walls."

 

[Mez]

I did think about food source, it would explain adults and even sub adults, but if food is that scarce, juvies and slings would be fair game imo. I know that animals will be less inclined to cannibalise when there is a huge supply of other food, but I'm sure someone would have said if there are mass flocking of insects to a particularly rare/desirable plant. Man these things are interesting!

 

[AbraxasComplex]

They were difference in behavior within a same sp (I think I read about X immanis behaving differently from place to place) but eventually, living a different lifestyle will lead them to branch out completely in the event that they used to be one species in the past.

But the REAL question is : How much will you sell them when you'll be able to? : )

Well that is the start of speciation.

As for selling, not quite sure yet, but they will always be in multiples. No singles. The point of this species is to have them live socially, not 1 tarantula in a kritter keeper on your tarantula shelf.

 

[Merfolk]

Multiple for sure ; )

 

[Najakeeper]

Well that is the start of speciation.

As for selling, not quite sure yet, but they will always be in multiples. No singles. The point of this species is to have them live socially, not 1 tarantula in a kritter keeper on your tarantula shelf.

Oh yeah, people can just buy an antinious for singles. I would love a tank like yours and I actually have one large empty tank !

 

[forhorsmn]

Wow

Okay, now my eyes are killing me. Read the WHOLE thread. Every post. This had been one of the most entertaining and educational threads I've seen here. Thank you so much for all the hard work you've been doing. Really a great read.

 

[AbraxasComplex]

I know these are more of the same, but here are more night time photos of my Pamphobeteus sp. Chicken Spider. 3 were out and about last night.