Molt of mature male!

[Starshine]

Hi, I just want to share with something that happend to me yesterday. I heard few times about mature males molting and that anomaly happend yesterday to one of my pets - Euathlus vulpinus. Morning that day I saw that the ground in the container was in web and I wondered what could that mean. It didn't look like one of the sperm webs. His previous, adult molt happend at end of the March this year. He was that type of MM that have never refused the food. Today he still feels fine, recovering after the event. Whole process took him about 1,5h.
Time for pictures!

The beggining.

Quick shot at pedipalps (not the best quality)

Molt.

 

[mmfh]

Wow, looks like he made it through with all of his parts. Congradulations.

 

[paassatt]

Very cool to see. Thanks for sharing.

 

[captmarga]

Great shot of the embolus on the end of one palp, too!

Marga

 

[poisoned]

Wow, perfect post ultimate molt, that is exceptional!

 

[Alltheworld601]

this is amazing to see and document. i wonder what the exact percentage of males that manage to molt after their maturing molt are? and wonder how much it varies from species to species....this is something that should be shared with the ATS (or BTS as the case may be), and the various arachnology societies...its a rare enough occurrence that there wont be any solid scientific fact about it unless as many people as possible let as many sources as possible know when it happens to one of their specimens.

 

[Starshine]

Thanks for interest. I read that MM usualy stuck in their molt if they try to do that. Recently I saw a post where MM B. albopilosum also molted but without palps and was a little deformed. This is first time I see MM that managed to perform it that well.

Here are some fresh pictures comparing exuviae and the male. He's become bigger! As you can see he needs a little more time to harden. Then I'll try to make picture to see clearly pedipalps tarsus.

 

[Storm76]

I'm actually suprised he didn't lose his palps...thanks for sharing!

 

[Alltheworld601]

good god he has long legs. i dont think ive ever seen legs that long on a t.

 

[RobynTRR]

That is always cool to see, thanks!

 

[cmcghee358]

good god he has long legs. i dont think ive ever seen legs that long on a t.

I was thinking the same things. Those are some REALLY long legs. Especially the Is.

 

[Rabid538]

That's incredible. I've never heard of a MM making it through a molt undeformed. Are you planning on breeding him?

 

[Niffarious]

Wow...that is fantastic.

Now THAT is a leggy male! Haha

 

[Starshine]

Tried to take some shots of his palps. My camera is not the best to take macro photos and this male just couldn't stay still. Looks like deformed bulb (regenerating after loss?) or the tarsus split into two (looks hairy). Second one is no better. Doesn't look like he could breed anymore (not a suprise).

When he was still a proper male I tried to breed him, each time female was very willing but male just lifted his palps, struck female few times and walk off. I was waiting for female to molt and try again but the male was first...