Can female Pamphobeteus Esmeraldas be purple too?

[Christin41]

When googling if male Esmeraldas only turn purple after fully maturing, I read that females can be purple too, and there's just a difference in vibrancy. Now I'm not sure if mine is even a male. Is this true?

 

[A guy]

Most female Pamphobeteus species will display coloration when younger but the older they get, almost all of them will be a big brown spiders.

 

[NMTs]

If you look through the genus gallery, there are some pics of adult females posted that have "hints" of purple on the carapace and femurs, but they are predominantly black/brown, even as subadults...

P.Esmeraldas(f)5.5in_1.jpeg

Pamphobeteus sp. "Esmeraldas" CB 5.5" sub-adult female

arachnoboards.com

Pamphobeteus esmeraldas AF

Freshly moulted. Was around 6" dls prior and looking a lot bigger!

arachnoboards.com

Pamphobeteus_esmeraldas(f)4.5in_SA1

arachnoboards.com

If yours has a significant amount of color on it, then it is likely a male.

Maybe we can use your question to get a fresh pic or 2 from @xenesthis

 

[Christin41]

Thanks. That's helpful. Pretty sure I have a boy then.

Most female Pamphobeteus species will display coloration when younger but the older they get, almost all of them will be a big brown spiders.

Yeah, then he must be a boy. Very dark almost black purple. Do you know if they only show purple when fully mature? I'm trying to find out if I should get started on finding him a mate, or if he still has a few months to go. It's hard to tell if he has tibial hooks. He's very reclusive and spends most of the time in his tunnel.

 

[NMTs]

Yeah, then he must be a boy. Very dark almost black purple. Do you know if they only show purple when fully mature? I'm trying to find out if I should get started on finding him a mate, or if he still has a few months to go. It's hard to tell if he has tibial hooks. He's very reclusive and spends most of the time in his tunnel.

If he was mature he would likely be out and about, roaming around to find a female. They all do it at some point - heck, even my 100% fossorial trapdoor MM has been out pacing his enclosure in hopes he'll bump into a lady. They usually wander in the dark, though, so you might try checking in the middle of the night to see if he's out.

 

[A guy]

Yeah, then he must be a boy. Very dark almost black purple. Do you know if they only show purple when fully mature? I'm trying to find out if I should get started on finding him a mate, or if he still has a few months to go. It's hard to tell if he has tibial hooks. He's very reclusive and spends most of the time in his tunnel.

If it's already showing bright colors then it means that it's close to maturing

 

[TheraMygale]

Then you got extra lucky. Its like with birds sometimes, the male has the most beautiful features. This will help you enjoy your time, even if sort of shorter, better.

it will be a perfect opportunity to take multiple photos, and document his progress.

most of us, with our traditional “insert said starter species”, will have a dull male.

you will get the fireworks and also, have time to study his progress. The sperm web making, the constant searching. If you are sure, at this point, he will mature to male, then its time to put him in an enclosure that is not too big.

with less area to roam, he will will have more energy, and live longer. Which is most likely what you are wishing for.

i, myself, want all my males to live long.

extra info: if hes mature, he should hook out. Then you have no doubts. And then the magic happens.

 

[xenesthis]

Generally speaking, when Pamphobeteteus spp. show purple/fuchsia coloration in their femurs around 3.5", you *probably* got a male...BUT with a few Pamphobeteus spp. the females can sport this coloration in their femurs as well, but not as prominent or bright as males. Some species that comes to mind would be P. "costa" and the real P. insignis (Colombia). For the "anti-Pamphobeteus" crowd that pass around incorrect info, always stating, female Pamphobeteus are "brown or black", that just isn't always true. It just like the bad info passed around in the U.S. hobby for years about what we used to call Pamphobeteus Petersi "was one of the smaller Pamphobeteus only getting 5"-6"....we call that species now "Pamphobeteus sp. "Peruvian GIANT Backfire" as I've shown several females obtaining 8"-8.75" leg spans. Of course, the hardcore taxonomy folks detest hobbyists talking about coloration when sexing. You just can't make everybody happy, but for the non-taxonomy hobbyists, yes, purple femurs 3.5"+ is probably going to be a male except for species like P. "costa" and the real P. insignis (Colombia).

 

[cold blood]

Yeah, then he must be a boy. Very dark almost black purple. Do you know if they only show purple when fully mature? I'm trying to find out if I should get started on finding him a mate, or if he still has a few months to go. It's hard to tell if he has tibial hooks. He's very reclusive and spends most of the time in his tunnel.

Just check the pedipalps for emboli