Can anyone ID this

[Steve Nunn]

I wouldn't be surprised when you posted a photo of a non-theraphosidae. =;-) Is it from Australia?

Hi Martin, How can you tell it isn't Theraphosidae??

 

[Martin H.]

Hi Steve,

How can you tell it isn't Theraphosidae??

How!? I could tell if I could examine it and check some characters like if there are flocci under the claws or not, the shape of the maxillarlobus (sorry, don't know the english term for it), the scopula at the tarsi, the spinnerets, how many claws are at the tarsi, etc. ...but I think you know all that very well yourself! =;-)

BTW, I didn't say that it isn't a theraphosidae I just said that it would not surprise me if you would have posted a photo of something different than theraphosidae (based on all all the stuff you have down under and your comment that you don't think that someone would hit the right genus).

BTW2: What about my question, is it from Australia or not?

all the best,
Martin

 

[Crotalus]

Anyone care to guess this one??

Photograph by D.Knowles.

I´ve seen that picture in "Spiders of Australia" but unfortunatly they do not name the spiders in that book
A Ctenizidae?

/Lelle

 

[Tamara]

dontcheat-thefilenamedoesnothelp.jpg
Martin - you're too funny! But maybe Steve needs to rename his files too.
Selenocosmia?

 

[Steve Nunn]

But maybe Steve needs to rename his files too.
Selenocosmia?

Hi Tamara,
No, it isn't Selenocosmia. The file name won't help you

Hi Lelle,
Yes, it is Australian.

Hi Martin,
OK. It's Australian

Another clue, it does possess tarsal scopula.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Tamara]

Darn! Thought I might get somewhere with that guess! Now I'll just wait in suspense for you guys to solve it!
Tamara

 

[Steve Nunn]

I posted this pic to show just how difficult it really is to ID any mygale spider. This spider has about a 14cm legspan, is 'hairy' all over, stridulates/hisses, has claw tufts and tarsal scopula, just like every tarantula/theraphosid. Although, forget genus, this spider isn't even in the same family as the tarantulas, it's from the Barychelidae and is called Idiomnata scintillans.

I was hesitant to post it, seeing as most collectors don't really know anything about the other mygale families, but thought it a good thing to show how similar all mygales can look, this problem isn't restricted to just the theraphosids.

Steve