dolomedes with gender issues

dannyboypede

Arachnosquire
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Aug 22, 2010
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142
ok. i posted a while back that my dolomedes tenebrosus molted into a MM. i wasnt too happy about it but i figured he would eat, and thats all that mattered {D! well, he stopped eating a couple of days ago, so i thought he was on his way out. today i come home and i know have a very confusing, and very large (4 inch-ish) spider. the palps are ever so slightly enlarged, but nothin like in its last molt. i am aware that males only get about 1-2 inches, but this guy keeps growing, and now sort of looks like a female (huge, smallish palps, really pretty). i am also aware that in true spiders males can look mature long before they actually are, now prepare for the stupid question... is it possible that he/she(?) is a female? it would be really cool if he/she(?) was a girl.
sorry no pics, maybe later.
thanks,

Dan
 

davisfam

Arachnoknight
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Jul 19, 2010
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287
I think it's def. possible but a picture would make it much easier to answer your question! ;)
 

Widowman10

Arachno WIDOW
Old Timer
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Jan 25, 2007
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afaik, male spiders can start showing semi-enlarged palps from the antepenultimate stage. but that is somewhat besides the point.

if you truly have a 4" spider (and it's not an exaggerated size, which many of them are :eek:) then it's most likely a female. are the palps long and slender?

here's an example.

this is a male from the top, notice the slight bulge:


here is what it looks like from underneath:


and here is the female counterpart. notice the uniformly smooth slender palps:







all that being said, pictures would help :D
 

davisfam

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Umm, first of all 'Widowman10'.. I would LOVE to take that GORGEOUS female Wolfiie off your hands! It was love at first sight! :p We've been looking EVERYwhere for a specimen exactly like the male in the pictures posted below. Wowzaa, BOTH are beautiful spidiies! Nice! :clap:

if you truly have a 4" spider (and it's not an exaggerated size, which many of them are :eek:) then it's most likely a female.
VERY true information! Our female D. tenebrosus is 4" (if not bigger) and we're thinking she MIGHT still have one last final molt in her. BIG spidiie! :D I agree, if your gal is reaching 4" in size, you prob. have a female not a male. No worries, females tend to have a longer life span and get huge in size, as your currently finding out! :p
I just adore our Fishing Spidiie even though she is being boring at the moment due to being in hibernation, LOL! =)

Here are some pictures of her from a last week;



Another Photo as MF;
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i11/kelseyjane10/Spiders and Such/FishingSpiderAdultFemale2.jpg

Photo BEFORE this past molt;
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i...Such/FishingSpiderBeforeLastMoltSub-Adult.jpg
 

Silberrücken

Arachnoangel
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
Messages
875
dannyboypede, I agree with both Widowman10 & davisfam 100%!

Widowman10, that is a GORGEOUS Wolfie you have!!!

davisfam, WOW! That is a BIG girl! And you think she has another molt??? :eek: She will be HUGE if so!

**sigh**

Why can't I find these big spiders???? :?

S.
 

davisfam

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
287
davisfam, WOW! That is a BIG girl! And you think she has another molt??? :eek: She will be HUGE if so!
**sigh**
Why can't I find these big spiders???? :?
S.
Thanks! She def. is a monster in the True Spider world, LOL! :p The neat thing is how darn docile she has been in captivity.. VERY quick but not aggressive, at all. A GREAT species to own, without a doubt. I'm not sure why you wouldn't be finding these specimens as well considering we're not too far in distance. Hmm.. :? Everytime it rains, I see this species ALL over the place so you might want to check after a good rain during the evening hours. If we find another female, I'll def. snatch her up for you! ;)
 

Silberrücken

Arachnoangel
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Feb 17, 2010
Messages
875
davisfam- Oh, man, that would be GREAT!!!! :clap: PM me if you DO find one! Maybe you'd be interested in a trade for some Phidippus regius slings? LOL! Have plenty of those! {D

Dan, post some pics soon, as we are very interested in your "gender confused" spider. IMO, not enough is posted here about True Spiders, and your posts will be welcomed! :clap:

S.
 

davisfam

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
287
Welcome! ;)

and I am curious as well to what this Fishing spidiie looks like.. PICTURES! PICTURES! PICTURES! pleaaase.. LOL! :D
 

dannyboypede

Arachnosquire
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Aug 22, 2010
Messages
142
i finally was able to get some good pictures. the first one is just of the spiders huge face, the second is a close up of the palp (it was much larger before, now it is just slightly enlarged), the third is a measurement (the inch marks are upside-down and the spider is about 3.75 inches), and the final picture is an added bonus of an under water shot. when they go under water the entire body gets wrapped in a bubble and they can stay there for quite a while. i hope these help...
 

Attachments

Silberrücken

Arachnoangel
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Feb 17, 2010
Messages
875
Yupp, I agree! There's no mistaking the palp in the 2nd pic.

But WOW... what a HUGE male!!!! :eek:

Great pics, Dan, I love that underwater shot! davisfam will be so excited to see these pics! :clap:

He's a great-looking boy, too. Keep us posted, Dan! I would love to know if he molts again! :clap:

S.
 

dannyboypede

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Aug 22, 2010
Messages
142
Thanks for the help everyone. If he molts again it will be like a world record male. If anyone is interested, I guess I have a very large MM (maybe), dolomedes tenebrosus. Maybe I can make you a deal (50/50)! We would each get like 150 slings!!! {D
 

davisfam

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
287
Yaah, after looking at the pictures, I am going to def. have to say this is a MALE, not a female. You were right, yayy! GOOD JOB! ;)

AHH! I just adore the under water photo's.. isn't this species neat?! LOL! I am soo glad you posted a picture of your big fella in the water. I haven't found ONE single picture of this on the boards, soo, it's appreciated tons!

Overall, GREAT pictures and congrats on owning one gorgeous specimen; a special spidiie, at that.. he just might hold the record title for "Largest Male" of his species! :p Who knows but please, keep us updated on his progress or if he happens to molt again. I would REALLY love to see pictures of him then, LOL! :D
 

dannyboypede

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Aug 22, 2010
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i set up his water enclosure two molts ago. that was like 2 inches ago. now he can barely go under the water. i was thinking about putting him in one of those tadpole rearing things because it seems that he really likes spending a lot of time up on the top of the Kritter Keeper. although if i can get a female (cough pm me cough cough) i would definitely give her the big tadpole/frog thing. i really want to breed this species but i dont like the idea of my big boy dying instantly.:wall::( i think little babies would be so cute. {D
 

Lorum

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Jun 10, 2010
Messages
111
I hope you don't mind if I post this here. It is on topic because this is also a huge male. This spider (we found in a field trip) is a Cupiennius salei (Ctenidae) with a diagonal legspan of 5.5''+. Hope you enjoy.



 
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davisfam

Arachnoknight
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Messages
287
the final picture is an added bonus of an under water shot. when they go under water the entire body gets wrapped in a bubble and they can stay there for quite a while. i hope these help...
I found some information to go along with this; "Water spiders live in underwater webs shaped like small bells. Each bell has an opening. A water spider carries air bubbles from the surface of the water and takes them into its bell. The bubbles slowly push all the water out of the bell, leaving the air trapped inside. A water spider can live on the air in its “diving bell” for several months. Inside its bell, a water spider waits for a water bug to swim by or for a flying insect to fall into the water. Then the spider swims to grab its prey and bring it back to its underwater home."
(Source: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/arachnids/spider-info.htm/printable)

Since some species of the Fishing spidiies are semi-aquatic, I wonder if this is like the same concept your describing?! Hmm.. :?
 

dannyboypede

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Aug 22, 2010
Messages
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the body of the spider seems to be wrapped in this metallic sort of thing. each leg and the body are covered in it. this guy stayed in that position for like 15 minutes. if only we had some of those water spiders in the US. they would be cool to keep in like a fish tank or something. however, i wouldnt trade dolomedes tenebrosus for any other spider. its like having a semi-aquatic wolf spider that will always eat and gets twice the size. i am still looking for a d. triton. thats the closest thing we have to a water spider.
 

Lorum

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:) Nice pics, Lorum.
Thank you, Silberrücken. Is good to know you like them.

I found some information to go along with this; (...)

Since some species of the Fishing spidiies are semi-aquatic, I wonder if this is like the same concept your describing?! Hmm.. :?
It is something similar. The behavior you are describing belongs to Argyroneta aquatica (you can google it for more information). Pisaurid spiders (like Dolomedes spp.) can't stay that much under water, but yes, they also retain an air bubble covering the opisthosoma.
 

davisfam

Arachnoknight
Joined
Jul 19, 2010
Messages
287
It is something similar. The behavior you are describing belongs to Argyroneta aquatica (you can google it for more information). Pisaurid spiders (like Dolomedes spp.) can't stay that much under water, but yes, they also retain an air bubble covering the opisthosoma.
Thanks for the information, I appreciate it tons! :D After doing a little more research, I stumbled upon the species A. aquatica and I think it's really neat that they can just 'hang out' within an air bubble in which they created and are able to catch prey while in this bubble as well, it's just craaazy fun information for me.. LOL! :p
 
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