How do you all remember tarantula names when everyone always shortens the genus?

OliverWhatever

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Sep 14, 2015
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If it is a spider I am interested in, I'll manage to remember it in most cases, but when someone drops "A.seemani" or "A.minatrix" in a casual conversation, I have no clue what they are talking about, even if I am familiar with the spider.
I'll look at some picture of a beautiful spider on the front page with an A, C, L, or T in front of a generic species name, and have no idea what it actually is.
 

nicodimus22

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I guess because I only have interest in 15-20 species, and I already know what they are.

I don't pay attention to arboreal or OW species, which brings the amount I have to remember way down.
 

Trenor

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If it is a spider I am interested in, I'll manage to remember it in most cases, but when someone drops "A.seemani" or "A.minatrix" in a casual conversation, I have no clue what they are talking about, even if I am familiar with the spider.
I'll look at some picture of a beautiful spider on the front page with an A, C, L, or T in front of a generic species name, and have no idea what it actually is.
If it's one I'm not as familiar with I just drop it into the google and it tells me. :)

I did that a lot when I started out but now days I'm good on most of them.
 
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Andrea82

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If it is a spider I am interested in, I'll manage to remember it in most cases, but when someone drops "A.seemani" or "A.minatrix" in a casual conversation, I have no clue what they are talking about, even if I am familiar with the spider.
I'll look at some picture of a beautiful spider on the front page with an A, C, L, or T in front of a generic species name, and have no idea what it actually is.
Google is your friend ;)
It also helps to just know a lot of the common genera. Aphonopelma, Brachypelma, Avicularia, Caribena, Grammostola and so on.
And just use the scientific names yourself if you are posting about them. Practice makes perfect ;)
 

gypsy cola

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I think its because a lot of has done research on most of these species when trying to figure out the next T to get. Usually from context we can figure it out.

Some still throw me off from time.
 

Leila

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Feb 7, 2017
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I mean, I sometimes get confused. Example: P. regalis and P. irminia. One is Poecilotheria; the other Psalmopoeus, but I haphazardly assumed they were both Pokies the other day when talking to a friend. Oops. :banghead: (I am not super familar with either genus)

I usually have no problem with the shortened form of genus/species though. If I am confused, I do a quick Google search. :cat:
 
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MGery92

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May 21, 2017
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I agree with @Trenor and @Andrea82 , use Google for good. ;)

@nicodimus22 is right too, if you are interested in certain species or genus (how to conjugate it right? :eek: ), sooner or later you are going to learn the scientific names. It is not that hard, really. :rolleyes:
 

mconnachan

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I mean, I sometimes get confused. Example: P. regalis and P. irminia. One is Poecilotheria; the other Psalmopoeus, but I haphazardly assumed they were both Pokies the other day when talking to a friend. Oops. :banghead: (I am not super familar with either genera.)

I usually have no problem with the shortened form of genus/species though. If I am confused, I do a quick Google search. :cat:
Genera I'm OK with and most sp. but am still learning as always, so I usually ask Cortana (SIMILAIR TO GOOGLE) Once you start to notice the different coloration, eg Brachis, it's quite simple to determine the differences in species.
 
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BishopiMaster

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When I was younger I used to be able to remember just about every tarantula scientific name, I guess something seemed special about those scientific names, personally I get more confused with common names, and I get lost among all the types of knees.
 

Andrea82

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When I was younger I used to be able to remember just about every tarantula scientific name, I guess something seemed special about those scientific names, personally I get more confused with common names, and I get lost among all the types of knees.
And the birdeaters...and the ornamentals. :shifty:
 

Trenor

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Here comes the common name rant. :p It's really not a big deal peeps. We use common names for tons of other things.
 

Moakmeister

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Once you get familiar with names over time, you know what the genus is if it's just abreviated. It's mostly the species name that gives it away. If someone mentioned the P regalis, the P irminia, the P cancerides, and the P muticus in the same sentence, I could tell you that they're not in the same genus, because the species names are familiar to me.
 

Leila

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Feb 7, 2017
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Once you get familiar with names over time, you know what the genus is if it's just abreviated. It's mostly the species name that gives it away. If someone mentioned the P regalis, the P irminia, the P cancerides, and the P muticus in the same sentence, I could tell you that they're not in the same genus, because the species names are familiar to me.
Well, ok, Moak- I mean, just make me look stupid or whatever... :p
 

Andrea82

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Here comes the common name rant. :p It's really not a big deal peeps. We use common names for tons of other things.
Nope, pacing myself this time ;) just had to make one comment on the matter...I'll promise to leave it at that :smug:
 
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