Costa Rica December 2006

[Michael Jacobi]

I returned to Nashville last night after a 15 day expedition to study the tarantulas of Costa Rica along with tarantula researcher and arachnohistorian Andrew M. Smith and fellow Brits, brothers Paul & Mark Carpenter. We located and photographed 14 species of theraphosid spider. Today I will make some processing lab very happy with over 20 rolls of film and scan some images to post here. I also shot about 6 hours of video. The trip will be chronicled in two ways: a special edition of ARACHNOCULTURE magazine some time in January and a DVD entitled "COSTA RICAN TARANTULA ADVENTURE: In the footsteps of Valerio" to be released in Spring. Please check back here in a day or two for some teaser photos.

Best regards, Michael

 

[Philth]

How Cool Michael,

I cant wait to see:drool:

Later, Tom

 

[eman]

Very cool indeed! Did you locate any undescribed species?

Cheers,

Eman

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Won't get my processed film back until early this week, but I found one roll hiding in my bag that I took to a one hour lab. Here's a couple of non-arachnids to start it off:

The monkey is a baby Geoffroy's spider monkey (Ateles geoffroyi). The first person to correctly identify the snake [by scientific name] wins a year subscription to ARACHNOCULTURE magazine.

More soon...

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Here's another of the snake. This time held by BTS Chairman and our expedition leader, Andrew M. Smith.

...very interesting... this photo of Andrew is my post number 666...

 

[Canth]

Nice pics!

I'm gonna guess...Trimorphodon biscutatus

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Nice pics!

I'm gonna guess...Trimorphodon biscutatus

We have a winner! Don't tell Andrew though... I never told him it was a rear-fanged snake

Although, the lyresnakes in the western US are typically 2-3' and max out at 4', you can see that the Central American subspecies, Trimorphodon biscutatus quadruplex, gets a bit longer. Awesome find. This snake was found by Paul Carpenter who went to "have a waz" behind a buttressed tree and screamed "Michael! Snake!". I ran over and told him it was a fer-de-lance because, well, I'm cruel that way. I then reached down to where it was coiled on the ground in the shade between the buttresses and pulled it out, much to Paul's further astonishment. It was a large male in a shed. After removing the engorged tick it had on its neck, I placed him back where he was. Paul urinated elsewhere.

Email me for your free subscription - exoticfauna@gmail.com.

Best regards, Michael

 

[Canth]

We have a winner! Don't tell Andrew though... I never told him it was a rear-fanged snake

This snake was found by Paul Carpenter who went to "have a waz" behind a buttressed tree and screamed "Michael! Snake!". I ran over and told him it was a fer-de-lance because, well, I'm cruel that way.

LOL! How mean

I was doing a lot of picture matching over the net when I got a friend of mine who's been to Costa Rica a couple times to look at the pic and help me out a bit. Turns out he was a big help He also invite me to go with him this summer but I'm not sure I'll be able to, being a minor and all. So we'll see how that works!

 

[Crotalus]

Sounds like a great trip! Now, post some more pictures!

 

[common spider]

More pics please.......:drool:

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Tired of pilchards and crackers, Andrew Smith seeks to procure us lunch armed only with an ice axe.

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Pick the American Clue: He's the lovely bloke!

 

[syndicate]

Tired of pilchards and crackers, Andrew Smith seeks to procure us lunch armed only with an ice axe.

omg haha!to funnny.looks like u guys had a great time.id love to travel there one day

 

[Michael Jacobi]

One of Costa Rica's lovely ladies...

 

[Michael Jacobi]

Just clicked on Quick Links > Subscribed Threads to view something recent and only this old post of mine came up. Ah, the days when I spent hours each day on AB ... Now I'm a

Sad to see that many of the photo links are now broken, but thought I'd inform the new crop of AB devotees (lol, I don't even know who most of the moderators are these days) of my ARACHNOCULTURE online edition and the web version of my "In Search of Costa Rican Tarantulas". It is E-Zine #7 and is 30 webpages of text and photos. It, and a bunch of other arachnid articles that were originally published in the print ARACHNOCULTURE, are available online at http://exoticfauna.com/arachnoculture.html.

 

[Michael Jacobi]

I have added a new preface to the online version of "In Search of Costa Rican Tarantulas". For those interested in reading my story of tarantula collecting in Costa Rica as part of a four-man team led by Andrew Smith, please click here.