Atmetochilus songsangchotei sp. Observations

[KyleGu3]

Chawakorn Kunsete et al. Zootaxa. 2020

Somewhat recently (re)described species in the Bemmeridae family. Very similar in appearance to Atrax robustus. My specimen is approximately 7cm in DLS.

Immediately fossorial and took up residence at the bottom of its enclosure. Interesting behavior I found after allowing it to acclimate for ~2weeks: she is constantly excavating and I find her making her web tube/burrow very long. She is making a very thick web sock around herself as well. When she is caught on the surface, I found her to actively attack and kill any prey I give her but not eat. Her abdomen is growing so there may be a chance shes gravid.

Will update if there's any new developments. Enjoy some pictures!

 

[DJ Madonia]

I picked up two of these guys mislabeled as funnel webs. They immediately made underground web tunnels, and then sealed themselves off. May give them a week or so more and then pop a hole in the tunnel for feeding.

 

[The Snark]

Sivayyapram-et-al-2020-Zoo-4859-487-506.pdf

drive.google.com

 

[DJ Madonia]

I'm really curious if anyone else could chime in about keeping them. Mine have only made completely submerged web tunnels and have refused food. Decided to add more soil and add slanting to their enclosure like other trapdoor species. I wonder if these guys would benefit from a clay based soil like Liphistius spiders.

 

[RezonantVoid]

I'm really curious if anyone else could chime in about keeping them. Mine have only made completely submerged web tunnels and have refused food. Decided to add more soil and add slanting to their enclosure like other trapdoor species. I wonder if these guys would benefit from a clay based soil like Liphistius spiders.

Can't say I've even heard of this species, genus or family before, but as someone that has kept just about every family and a huge range of genera of Australian mygalomorphs, I wholeheartedly agree with giving them clay based soil. A quick google of the name brings up some habitat images that show rainforest habitats, which often have high clay content in the soil. People get this idea that peat/coir is the be all end all of substrates when it is often in fact the worse mix for trapdoors as it limits their ability to construct proper burrows, lidded or lidless.

I reckon if you give them a mix of desert sand, excavator clay and forest soil, you will see a much happier spider. You could potentially make a vertical embankment setup too, but I'm not sure if this species prefers flat or vertical surfaces. This substrate mix will also grow moss, ferns and other small plants exponentially better than peat/cocofibre, which will allow you to make a more natural looking tank.

Here is my Euoplos turrificus communal tank, they are a vertical wall dwelling species that live in thick clay environments

 

[DJ Madonia]

Can't say I've even heard of this species, genus or family before, but as someone that has kept just about every family and a huge range of genera of Australian mygalomorphs, I wholeheartedly agree with giving them clay based soil. A quick google of the name brings up some habitat images that show rainforest habitats, which often have high clay content in the soil. People get this idea that peat/coir is the be all end all of substrates when it is often in fact the worse mix for trapdoors as it limits their ability to construct proper burrows, lidded or lidless.

I reckon if you give them a mix of desert sand, excavator clay and forest soil, you will see a much happier spider. You could potentially make a vertical embankment setup too, but I'm not sure if this species prefers flat or vertical surfaces. This substrate mix will also grow moss, ferns and other small plants exponentially better than peat/cocofibre, which will allow you to make a more natural looking tank.

Here is my Euoplos turrificus communal tank, they are a vertical wall dwelling species that live in thick clay environments
View attachment 437212 View attachment 437213

Clay is my next step for sure. Got the sloping embankment set up today, with extra sphagnum and leaf litter for construction. I did get them to scavenge prey though which was a boon for me. That is a gorgeous set up in there. Any plans for breeding?

 

[RezonantVoid]

Clay is my next step for sure. Got the sloping embankment set up today, with extra sphagnum and leaf litter for construction. I did get them to scavenge prey though which was a boon for me. That is a gorgeous set up in there. Any plans for breeding?

Definitely plan to breed if I can actually get my hands on a male, given this species rarity in the Aussie hobby (one of the specimens in that tank was the first ever of the species in captivity to my knowledge), captive males are very scarce

 

[Ferrachi]

Just thought I'd ask if any of you have any updates ? Have any of them surfaced or have they stayed buried and shut the door ?

Thanks

 

[Ferrachi]

Can't say I've even heard of this species, genus or family before, but as someone that has kept just about every family and a huge range of genera of Australian mygalomorphs, I wholeheartedly agree with giving them clay based soil. A quick google of the name brings up some habitat images that show rainforest habitats, which often have high clay content in the soil. People get this idea that peat/coir is the be all end all of substrates when it is often in fact the worse mix for trapdoors as it limits their ability to construct proper burrows, lidded or lidless.

I reckon if you give them a mix of desert sand, excavator clay and forest soil, you will see a much happier spider. You could potentially make a vertical embankment setup too, but I'm not sure if this species prefers flat or vertical surfaces. This substrate mix will also grow moss, ferns and other small plants exponentially better than peat/cocofibre, which will allow you to make a more natural looking tank.

Here is my Euoplos turrificus communal tank, they are a vertical wall dwelling species that live in thick clay environments
View attachment 437212 View attachment 437213

Great set up !!

 

[DJ Madonia]

Just thought I'd ask if any of you have any updates ? Have any of them surfaced or have they stayed buried and shut the door ?

Thanks

They stay sealed up. Once every 2 weeks I pop open a tunnel and toss in a cricket. If they don't want it, I find it launched across the enclosure the next day lol. Strange little piles of dirt.

 

[Ferrachi]

They stay sealed up. Once every 2 weeks I pop open a tunnel and toss in a cricket. If they don't want it, I find it launched across the enclosure the next day lol. Strange little piles of dirt.

Oh wow... that's good to know because I just picked up a couple of them and was wondering if they will just vanish.

 

[DJ Madonia]

Oh wow... that's good to know because I just picked up a couple of them and was wondering if they will just vanish.

Keep us updated, I'd love to know if yours vanish like mine.

 

[Ferrachi]

Keep us updated, I'd love to know if yours vanish like mine.

One of them is still a juvenile so that one hides all day and once it gets dark, I notice it comes out to look around. The other one is a sub adult and I still have to rehouse it but just noticed today it made a web to cover itself completely, so that's gonna be fun trying to rehouse it...

 

[KyleGu3]

Atmetochilus songsangchotei update:

Rehoused her to a more clay-based/ loamy soil as well as with my mix of bioactive soil. Her condition is still very good and I fed her maybe two months ago. At first, i thought i lost her but she was tucked into a web cocoon. One thing to note, I keep all moisture dependent species on substrate that is in a bioactive bin; earthworms, springtails, mites, very tiny isopods (not dwarf whites), and Millipedes. I found no worms or Millipedes in her enclosure.

It seems like this species does not need to eat much at all to stay healthy and my guess is that they will surface when they want to eat.

I am going to experiment with what I do to get my P. muticus to surface and start feeding again by giving them a "rainy" season every couple months as well.

Don't fret about our little dirt dwelling critters. Like our hobby suggests, patience is a virtue. They probably appreciate less fussing. Let me know how yours are all doing!

 

[alfiebass34]

I've had these for a few years now got one randomly and took me a good while to even find an ID for them.
From my observations they are fossorial as you mention and are only at surface for a short period of time when they feed maybe for 6 weeks or so then they block themselves off for an extended period of time where I suppose they are in a moult cycle, I've dug them out at intervals and they have extended and lighter coloured abdomen once moulted they go back to a much thinner appearance.
They are open door trap doors and build a deep silken tube and close to entrance off with silk.
when they are active they take whatever prey I put in there. I've got mine in deep damp but not wet substrate with about 8-9" deep.
Very defensive and will bite first and ask questions later. I have recently acquired a male.

 

[DJ Madonia]

Well guys here's my 9 month update. They are finally established, feeding on their own and have established tunnels with surface openings. I had to try three separate enclosure types and set ups but believe I found what they like best. I am keeping them in enclosures with less floor space but much more depth. The substrate is more than 2/3rds of the way to the top, then a piece of cork and leaves are placed on the surface. They have tunnels and small turrets that connect to pieces of the leaves and cork. They like to disguise their burrows as much as possible. They are now taking crickets twice a week and show evidence of being active at the surface regularly. Next step is to aquire some small babies and see if I can mature out a male to breed them.

 

[Smotzer]

Well guys here's my 9 month update. They are finally established, feeding on their own and have established tunnels with surface openings. I had to try three separate enclosure types and set ups but believe I found what they like best. I am keeping them in enclosures with less floor space but much more depth. The substrate is more than 2/3rds of the way to the top, then a piece of cork and leaves are placed on the surface. They have tunnels and small turrets that connect to pieces of the leaves and cork. They like to disguise their burrows as much as possible. They are now taking crickets twice a week and show evidence of being active at the surface regularly. Next step is to aquire some small babies and see if I can mature out a male to breed them.

This is great to hear!! Some photos would be great to see their established enclosure for others to continue to see good examples!!

 

[Tbone192]

Does anyone know anything regarding venom toxicity. Are there any papers or bite reports from this species. I couldn't even find any for the genus...

 

[Glorfindel]

Check out the fangs in proportion to spider size, definitely biting ability goin on.

 

[Tbone192]

My guess is even males are fairly reclusive due to their small size and short lifespan. That as well as the females living sedentary lifestyles makes bites very rare. They do appear as if they'd suck to get bitten by. Maybe I'll write my own bite report ...no I couldn't harass my spider like that.