Damon sp ID help

[norcalfourrunner]

Hello.

Not new to inverts. But new to amblypygi. And rather confused and looking for some solid direction here.

I have two Damon specimens. I have read and heard two main arguments and I really have no idea what to believe:

#1) D. variegatus has not been available for some time. D. diadema is only regularly available species. (Seems to be majority opinion here)

#2) D. diadema has not been avaible for some time. D. variegates is the only regularly available species in the hobby.

I'm aware of the supposed distinction between variegatus and diadema in regards to the trochanter spines. It appears to me Ambly #1 has two? Perhaps one is broken on one side?

Amblypygi #1: The first was sold to me as a Damon variegatus, male. However I believe it is actually a D. diadema female. Can anyone confirm via the pictures?

Amblypygi #2: This was sold to me as a Damon medius, male. I was not familiar with this species until I saw it in person. Over the phone they told me it was D. variegatus, but called it medius after I got there. The container it was shipped in says "D. medius".

It also appears to have two spines on the trochanter, if I am looking at the right spot.

Can anyone provide any insight into which species and sex both of these are? Do I have a female D diadema and a male D medius? Both D. diadema? I appreciate the help.

Final Side by side:

 

[Banshee05]

hello,
this is not variegatus or even a member of this species complex. but I am also not sure it it is diadema, rather a member of west-african Damon spp. like medius, tibialis, etc.

 

[InvertsandOi]

Amblys 2 looks male. Amblys 1 is ambiguous without seeing it's underside. If it is female its first segment on the underside of the abdomen will have an hourglass shape. I'm basing this on D. diadema knowledge, but I believe it applies to all Damon sp.

 

[norcalfourrunner]

Hmmm I will do my best to try and get a shot of the underside of the first one. Thanks for the input.

 

[InvertsandOi]

Hmmm I will do my best to try and get a shot of the underside of the first one. Thanks for the input.

I find the easiest and safest way is to put them in a glass and hold it up. I'm not brave enough to manhandle it. Too afraid I'll hurt it.

 

[norcalfourrunner]

I find the easiest and safest way is to put them in a glass and hold it up. I'm not brave enough to manhandle it. Too afraid I'll hurt it.

Yeah, thats the plan. I don't man handle these lol

 

[norcalfourrunner]

Here is the underside of Ambly #2

Ambly 1 died

 

[InvertsandOi]

I'm sorry to hear about Ambly 1. Ambly 2 is female. I looked it up in Orin's book, and medius has larger pedipalps than diadema, so the common method of sexing adult diadema by seeing if the palps extend past the knee doesn't really apply to medius. So if this is D. medius, that would explain why I originally (and incorrectly) said male for Ambly 2.

 

[BobBarley]

That looks like a medius to me.... I believe diadema has more yellow stripes/bands on the legs and it certainly resembles other medius I've seen. Congrats lol! medius are awesome.