G. pulchra x G. quirogai Side-by-Side Comparison - Photos and Videos

[OldFlash]

I know this topic has burned out a lot of people for a while now, but it came up again in a recent thread here on the forum, and by some weird twist of fate, two "so-called" true G. pulchra and two G. quirogai landed in my hands a couple of days ago. Of course, since the discussion was already rolling, I couldn’t resist snapping some side-by-side shots for anyone who’s never seen them together—same lighting, same camera, the whole deal.
There’s a decent chance a thread like this is already out there, but I always use the search function before posting to avoid repeating stuff, and I didn’t find anything.
Mods, feel free to delete this thread if there’s already another one!
That’s it, folks. Here are the pics and vids I took just a bit ago. All females and both pulchra are supposed to be older than both quirogai even though they are significantly smaller in size

"Pulchra" #1 on the left, "quirogai" #1 on the right (Pulchra on top, quirogai on the bottom for those with phones)




"Pulchra" #2 on the left, "quirogai" #2 on the right




"Pulchra" #2 on the left, "quirogai" #2 on the right (side by side enclosures)



And both videos. That's all guys, thanks!

View attachment IMG_2244.mp4
View attachment IMG_2257.mp4

 

[NMTs]

Awesome, thanks!

Just to clarify (because when viewing on a phone the photos are above one another, rather than side-by-side), the Grammostola pulchra have the setae that appear to be white-tipped, while the G. quirogai appear more velvety black - correct?

I don't know why fate never twists to land awesome spiders like this in my hands, but I'm glad it does for someone, at least!

 

[OldFlash]

Awesome, thanks!

Just to clarify (because when viewing on a phone the photos are above one another, rather than side-by-side), the Grammostola pulchra have the setae that appear to be white-tipped, while the G. quirogai appear more velvety black - correct?

100% correct

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

Finally someone posted a side-by-side! These G. pulchra look just like the ones in the recent redescription. Just look how different they are from the big black ones we have in the United States!

 

[OldFlash]

Finally someone posted a side-by-side!

About time, right?

These G. pulchra look just like the ones in the recent redescription. Just look how different they are from the big black ones we have in the United States!

Yes! When you have both of them side by side right in front of your face, it's pretty hard to believe people think they look exactly the same.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

About time, right?




Yes! When you have both of them side by side right in front of your face, it's pretty hard to believe people think they look exactly the same.

I know this topic has burned out a lot of people for a while now, but it came up again in a recent thread here on the forum, and by some weird twist of fate, two "so-called" true G. pulchra and two G. quirogai landed in my hands a couple of days ago. Of course, since the discussion was already rolling, I couldn’t resist snapping some side-by-side shots for anyone who’s never seen them together—same lighting, same camera, the whole deal.
There’s a decent chance a thread like this is already out there, but I always use the search function before posting to avoid repeating stuff, and I didn’t find anything.
Mods, feel free to delete this thread if there’s already another one!
That’s it, folks. Here are the pics and vids I took just a bit ago. All females and both pulchra are supposed to be older than both quirogai even though they are significantly smaller in size

"Pulchra" #1 on the left, "quirogai" #1 on the right

View attachment 494554 View attachment 494555


"Pulchra" #2 on the left, "quirogai" #2 on the right

View attachment 494556 View attachment 494557


"Pulchra" #2 on the left, "quirogai" #2 on the right (side by side enclosures)

View attachment 494559

And both videos. That's all guys, thanks!

View attachment 494561
View attachment 494560

"Pulchra" #1 on the left, "quirogai" #1 on the right
Is left top or bottom ? ?? On iPhone.

 

[Nitroxide]

Thank you for sharing! Just went down a a rabbit hole in the subject and went through a bunch of threads so was great to see the comparisons!

 

[OldFlash]

"Pulchra" #1 on the left, "quirogai" #1 on the right
Is left top or bottom ? ?? On iPhone.

Pulchra on top. (I edited the post and included this info to make it easier for those using smartphones)

Thank you for sharing! Just went down a a rabbit hole in the subject and went through a bunch of threads so was great to see the comparisons!

Glad to help

 

[jennywallace]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing. Obviously look different when seen side by side.

 

[TheraMygale]

I guess i really like the velvety g quirogai. And i think this is the one people think is “very calm”.

thank you for taking the time to do this. Had there already been an old thread of this, i would still think it is quite appropriate right now.

people will see the thread as it is fresh, and the title chosen is on point.

now i know i want a g quirogai. But i guess that means i will find a g pulchra

when viewed like this, the difference is obvious. I don’t think i have ever truely seen a g pulchra in people talking about this species.

i even think Daves pulchra is possibly a quirogai. I need to go watch the video again.

i dont understand how people
could attempt to breed those two together, its obvious its not the same tarantula.

im hoping what my dealer has listed as pulchra is a quirogai in disguise.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

This explains why some people with tarantulas sold to them as pulchra were jet black. Also people sold pulchra that were asking why theirs is faded black.

Both sold as pulchra but only the faded black ones were actually pulchra.

Now another thing I do not know do both go through a brown phase at younger sizes?

I've only ever seen a so-called pulchra in person once and it was a milk chocolate color around 3.5 to 4 inches DLS.

Another probability is that these two species were bred and who knows how many hybrids are circulating through the trade, globally.

 

[viper69]

Many decades ago I had an AF pulchra- well it wasn’t white tipped.

And back then, not a single one I saw in person etc was white tipped.

In fact there was never a discussion etc of one that is white tipped, they were all jet black.

Very cool post!!

 

[Brewser]

I Like Milk Chocolate & Dark Chocolate with Equal Enthusiasm.

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I Like Milk Chocolate & Dark Chocolate with Equal Enthusiasm.

You ever bite into a 90% cacao bar and keep a straight face? The only thing more bitter than that is one of my ex-girlfriends

 

[OldFlash]

Now another thing I do not know do both go through a brown phase at younger sizes?

As far as I know, quirogai goes through a "brown phase" only as slings.

 

[viper69]

As far as I know, quirogai goes through a "brown phase" only as slings.

And does the white tipped wonder T always have the white tips?

 

[Arachnophobphile]

As far as I know, quirogai goes through a "brown phase" only as slings.

Thanks for that info.

 

[Gevo]

This is so helpful--thank you! I've looked around for direct comparisons before, and while I find the articles about the more subtle differences interesting, they don't help me look at mine and figure out what I've got, and I was hoping to one day find a side-by-side comparison.

I agree with @viper69 that the next question is how consistently these seemingly stark differences can be relied on for an identification.

At present, my G. pulchra looks like he could be a genuine pulchra because his setae have a bit of lighter grey on the tips, but he's still very young yet, having only just turned black two molts ago, so I'll continue to refer to him as my pulchra because that's what I bought him as. The light grey on his setae is nowhere near the salt-and-pepper look the pulchra appears to have, but like I said, he's just a youth. I must say, I'm kind of hoping he ends up being a quirogai now, though, if it means he'll be that beautiful jet-black, velvety tarantula I fell in love with when deciding what to get!

 

[viper69]

This is so helpful--thank you! I've looked around for direct comparisons before, and while I find the articles about the more subtle differences interesting, they don't help me look at mine and figure out what I've got, and I was hoping to one day find a side-by-side comparison.

I agree with @viper69 that the next question is how consistently these seemingly stark differences can be relied on for an identification.

At present, my G. pulchra looks like he could be a genuine pulchra because his setae have a bit of lighter grey on the tips, but he's still very young yet, having only just turned black two molts ago, so I'll continue to refer to him as my pulchra because that's what I bought him as. The light grey on his setae is nowhere near the salt-and-pepper look the pulchra appears to have, but like I said, he's just a youth. I must say, I'm kind of hoping he ends up being a quirogai now, though, if it means he'll be that beautiful jet-black, velvety tarantula I fell in love with when deciding what to get!

Definitely take pics over time, like after a fresh molt, some time after when colors fade a bit and so forth. Having a chronological record could be helpful to others

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

About time, right?




Yes! When you have both of them side by side right in front of your face, it's pretty hard to believe people think they look exactly the same.

I forgot to ask in my previous post. Are the two pictured wild collected individuals, or direct descendants, from Brazil? Or the G. quirogai from Uruguay and G. pulchra from Brazil?