Austin, TX area tarantula

[hamfoto]

well, you're going to be on the edge of your seat for awhile! It's going to take a long time to get Aphonopelma worked out...

And yes, I should be focusing on my writing...but I'm tired of looking at it!

as for color...you cannot go by color at all. Their colors (shades of brown/black) are totally dependent on multiple factors (where they live...soil type, humidity, etc...higher humidity usually equals darker individuals; and time since last molt...they get much lighter brown generally as they make their way through a molt cycle).

A. anax is a larger spider and the hairs are much shorter and generally the same length...whereas hentzi has long, wavy hairs and looks "furry".

I don't have pics right now available...but I should put some up at some point this summer to show the different spiders in Texas and where they are found.

Chris

 

[MizM]

Color is even less of an identifier now that more color morphs have been identified, yes? Can't wait to hear about steindachneri and eutylenum, previously thought to only reside in California!

 

[hamfoto]

eutylenum is going to be a complex, like hentzi...probably just a wide-ranging species with a lot of variation.
steindachneri has already been figured out...it is only a California species, as determined by Prentice (1997). And his reasoning makes sense...

Chris

 

[MizM]

eutylenum is going to be a complex, like hentzi...probably just a wide-ranging species with a lot of variation.
steindachneri has already been figured out...it is only a California species, as determined by Prentice (1997). And his reasoning makes sense...

Chris

I had the opportunity to speak to Tom on several occasions, what enthusiasm!! Love that man!! You really don't think steindachneri will be found elsewhere? I was quite curious about them.