How to tell Texan Aphonopelma apart?

Rayven

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
25
I would like opinions about my supposed A. Anax.

This is the deal, I bought her at a reptile show; she had a sac, which I incubated. The dealer told me she was Aphonopelma *something*. He mumbled and I missed what he said. People kept interrupting our conversation and I am not pushy enough for my own good, so I didn't ask for clarification. I figured it would be easy to figure out which Aphonopelma she was through my own research. Plus, I never take a dealers word for much anyway because I have been sold herps in the past under wrong names more times than I care to count. I always take what a dealer says with a grain of salt unless I know for sure they are knowledgeable enough to know what they are talking about. Some animal dealers are awesome, but some are nothing more than con-artists.

When we got home from the show (ten minute drive), we were upset to find very bad conditions inside the deli cups of the tarantulas we purchased from this particular dealer. The cups were filthy and one tarantula was standing on a very old molt (or a dead tarantula), and the cup was absolutely full of maggots and stank. Because of this, I view anything the guy said with skepticism.

Anyhow, I would really like to know for sure which Aphonopelma Peanut is, so I can make sure I am giving accurate info to anyone I give one of her slings to. I was pretty sure they were Anax, but now I am having doubts creep into my mind and I do not want to pass on the wrong info.

The dealer said something about " If they were down by the Rio Grande" when I said they were similar to ones I used to catch growing up in Texas. He also claimed it was rare and new, (which I doubt, but I do know there is a newly discovered anax-like tarantula from Davis Mountain in Texas. I don't think it's been given an official name yet.)

http://www.theinvertshop.com/products/Aphonoplema-species-%28un%252dnamed%29-Davis-Mountain-rusty-1%7B47%7D2-inch-spiderlings%28captive-bred,John-Apple%29.html

The brownish Aphonopelmas are hard to tell apart. I think she looks like an Anax, so that's what I've been calling her. She's much lighter than the hentzi's I've seen, but there are a few other Texas Aphonopelmas that also have tan carapaces. I'm not knowledgeable enough to tell them apart.

Is there a way to figure out exactly what Peanut and her babies are so that I can be sure I am giving people the correct information?








 

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
271
/bumb

I know we have some Aphonopelma enthusiasts here! What do you guys think?
 

bengalfan

Arachnopeon
Joined
Sep 7, 2010
Messages
10
From the pictures they look black and tan but it could be my computer.The first tarantula I had kept was A Anax. It was completely light tan and they ran wild where I lived outside of Austin. Use to come in my house.Growing up in different parts of TX all I ever saw or caught were the light tan ones. It looks more like the mexican type I think scientificly were or still are called A calchodes which are Mexico and real close to the border in TX but kind of rarer than the anax.
 
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Rayven

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
25
The mature male was black and tan. Peanut, the female, is brown and tan with some red highlights to her bristles. Her carapace is very light tan though, which is part of why I thought she was Anax; it is not at all brown. I was positive she was A. Anax but I keep getting different opinions and don't know what to think now. I wish there were a way to know for sure.

Whatever she is, she's a good spider. She can be a bit chicken if startled but she's never tried to bite or show aggression, other than throwing hairs at me when I accidentally blew on her and scared her to death once. She also freaked out and threw hairs at a cricket a while back, so now she has a bald spot. Most of the time she just slowly walks away when I'm doing something in her cage. She'll go to a corner and ignore me.
 

cacoseraph

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
8,325
short answer: you can't tell most native USA tarantula apart right now


there are only a relatively few species described and i seriously doubt tarantula species can span 1000 miles without starting to speciate... and there are some species with ranges that large, iirc. someone is working on the dna of native tarantulas and that should shed some light on the situation... but even then, it is not like they had someone collect EVERY SINGLE species out there
 

jebbewocky

Arachnoangel
Old Timer
Joined
Oct 1, 2009
Messages
909
Honestly, I'd just call it <i>Aphonopelma, sp. unknown</i> and just be honest about it. Not much else you can do, unfortunately.
 

Rayven

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 7, 2010
Messages
25
Thanks. Yeah, will just tell anyone I give a sling to that I am not sure which Aphonopelma they are. I'll keep a few of them, give Fyreflye a few, and ask if anyone in our Oklahoma invert group want any.
 

Julia

Arachnobaron
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 17, 2009
Messages
433
Thanks. Yeah, will just tell anyone I give a sling to that I am not sure which Aphonopelma they are. I'll keep a few of them, give Fyreflye a few, and ask if anyone in our Oklahoma invert group want any.
I'm part of the OK Invert group. :) Haven't looked in on the board in quite a while now. (oops) Keep me in mind when you're handing out slings. I'd love some!
 

Fyreflye

Arachnoknight
Old Timer
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
271
I'm part of the OK Invert group. :) Haven't looked in on the board in quite a while now. (oops) Keep me in mind when you're handing out slings. I'd love some!
Well then, the 3 of us should meet up soon!
 
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