- Joined
- Aug 30, 2009
- Messages
- 460
Greets... Sorry this may be long..
My first real attempt to try and figure out a mystery with one of my T's.
I picked up a beautiful specimen about a year ago from a out of the way LPS that was labeled "Striped Knee" but of course no scientific name. This specimen was not doing too well and for the price I decided to pick it up.
At the time it was light brown with orange spinnerets which many have called Aphonopelma seemanni however I was more content not knowing what it was exactly and just having a new beautiful T.
Once home I properly housed and cared for this T and it soon molted which by my own sexing was female based on all that I had learned on these forums, however, I unfortunately I did not save the molt nor really pay attention to the "type" and "form" of the spermathecae. At the time I was more excited I had a female and I was able to confidently say so!
Fast forward several months..
I was browsing this very site and saw what I felt resembled my girl in both nature and color and while it was debated as A. seemanni there was also some doubts as to the true species of the T at hand. Travis K was the author with an unknown species of spider he was giving to a friends child (I believe) and this started my mind spinning. There was much discussion and back and forth regarding a true A. seemanni, it's coloration, "form" of spermathecae as well it's eye placement. Unfortunately the T in question was given to the child and he was unable to fully find out.
A month or so later it was commented that Eddy Hijmensen had authored an article for the ATS newsletter, titled "Stop! Who Goes There?", revealing this to be a possible new species and was named Aphonopelma sp Guatemala which at time perfectly described my girl.
Various other posts here and abroad have also spoken that T's similar to mine could also be Acanthoscurria borealis which now even complicates things more. Since this point in time, knowing the debate as well comments of others, I was sure the next molt I would try and recover and get better data on this T so it may help myself and others.
Well that time has come and she is freshly molted! I've not gotten any good shots of her yet as she's still burrowed deep however she did honor me but promptly shoving out her old exuvia so that I could provide some pictures here now. One thing I DEFINITELY did notice is she's changed colors dramatically! She's darkened in color so much my wife, peering through the burrow entrance, even asked if that was the same "Roxy" we had before. It's amazing and I hope to get some new shots soon.
Below are some images of prior and of the molt tonight. I'm sorry they are not great shots as this old guy has too much tied up in family things right now to afford a wonderful new camera but I hope it shows some detail that could be debated. If not, well, no issues as well and I've just lost time in this post
I'm now off comparing to other images of spermathecae but at this point it doesn't seem like A. seemanni in form however it may not yet be fully developed. I was also not able, with current equipment (Android phone), to gain any shots of the eye placement.
Your thoughts thus far? :?
Here she is roughly 8 months ago:
Tan spinnerets:
Current Molt:
Spermathecae:
My first real attempt to try and figure out a mystery with one of my T's.
I picked up a beautiful specimen about a year ago from a out of the way LPS that was labeled "Striped Knee" but of course no scientific name. This specimen was not doing too well and for the price I decided to pick it up.
At the time it was light brown with orange spinnerets which many have called Aphonopelma seemanni however I was more content not knowing what it was exactly and just having a new beautiful T.
Once home I properly housed and cared for this T and it soon molted which by my own sexing was female based on all that I had learned on these forums, however, I unfortunately I did not save the molt nor really pay attention to the "type" and "form" of the spermathecae. At the time I was more excited I had a female and I was able to confidently say so!
Fast forward several months..
I was browsing this very site and saw what I felt resembled my girl in both nature and color and while it was debated as A. seemanni there was also some doubts as to the true species of the T at hand. Travis K was the author with an unknown species of spider he was giving to a friends child (I believe) and this started my mind spinning. There was much discussion and back and forth regarding a true A. seemanni, it's coloration, "form" of spermathecae as well it's eye placement. Unfortunately the T in question was given to the child and he was unable to fully find out.
A month or so later it was commented that Eddy Hijmensen had authored an article for the ATS newsletter, titled "Stop! Who Goes There?", revealing this to be a possible new species and was named Aphonopelma sp Guatemala which at time perfectly described my girl.
Various other posts here and abroad have also spoken that T's similar to mine could also be Acanthoscurria borealis which now even complicates things more. Since this point in time, knowing the debate as well comments of others, I was sure the next molt I would try and recover and get better data on this T so it may help myself and others.
Well that time has come and she is freshly molted! I've not gotten any good shots of her yet as she's still burrowed deep however she did honor me but promptly shoving out her old exuvia so that I could provide some pictures here now. One thing I DEFINITELY did notice is she's changed colors dramatically! She's darkened in color so much my wife, peering through the burrow entrance, even asked if that was the same "Roxy" we had before. It's amazing and I hope to get some new shots soon.
Below are some images of prior and of the molt tonight. I'm sorry they are not great shots as this old guy has too much tied up in family things right now to afford a wonderful new camera but I hope it shows some detail that could be debated. If not, well, no issues as well and I've just lost time in this post
I'm now off comparing to other images of spermathecae but at this point it doesn't seem like A. seemanni in form however it may not yet be fully developed. I was also not able, with current equipment (Android phone), to gain any shots of the eye placement.
Your thoughts thus far? :?
Here she is roughly 8 months ago:
Tan spinnerets:
Current Molt:
Spermathecae: