My Australian non-T primitives

[Dave1969]

The range is definitely atypical, but Spidentify does show a few dots of them being recorded down south around where mine came from (20 minutes west of Coffs at my spider megaspot, Coramba). While they all had a smidge of pale blue, the main feature was the white patch the blue surrounded, whereas Bradleyi seem to have just dark shiny blue. At the very least, none of the males were Occatoria for sure, but they may have also been Insignis (not enough info to confirm). Not gonna lie, your male is the first true Bradleyi id seen a clear photo of. My females are absolutely enormous though, so they have to be either Bradleyi or Occatoria

I really think that the outliers, taken from the Atlas of Living Australia, are misidentified spiders - especially the ones near Victoria. M. pruinosa generally has a white to gloss white patch covering most of the abdomen (there are other distinguishing features in Levitt-Greg's 1969 description) whereas M. bradleyi has a small pale patch which could be blue or white or a combo. If your girls are well over 2cm body length, I'd say that they are more likely to be M. occatoria. Nonetheless, after I work out how best to awaken my guy and let him run the gauntlet, If he survives the attempts, I'd only be too happy to move him on.

 

[RezonantVoid]

I really think that the outliers, taken from the Atlas of Living Australia, are misidentified spiders - especially the ones near Victoria. M. pruinosa generally has a white to gloss white patch covering most of the abdomen (there are other distinguishing features in Levitt-Greg's 1969 description) whereas M. bradleyi has a small pale patch which could be blue or white or a combo. If your girls are well over 2cm body length, I'd say that they are more likely to be M. occatoria. Nonetheless, after I work out how best to awaken my guy and let him run the gauntlet, If he survives the attempts, I'd only be too happy to move him on.

Interesting that hes being reclusive, all mine were very shy too. And thx for that, much appreciated. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Went waaaayy back through my gallery and found these, including one of my females from 2 molts ago. She has grown since that photo. Males look very white

[Edit]
Attached file is my first mouse that i believe may have actually been Pruinosa

 

[Dave1969]

Hi

Interesting that hes being reclusive, all mine were very shy too. And thx for that, much appreciated. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Went waaaayy back through my gallery and found these, including one of my females from 2 molts ago. She has grown since that photo. Males look very white
View attachment 340721 View attachment 340722 View attachment 340723 View attachment 340724
[Edit]
Attached file is my first mouse that i believe may have actually been Pruinosa

Those males are most likely bradleyi as the patch on pruinosa covers the whole dorsal surface of the abdomen. There is natural variation in how pale (or not) they are.

From my understanding, a bradleyi female over 2.5 cm body should be a rare thing. They are listed as about 2cm. I'd hedge my bets that girl next to the tape measure might be occatoria.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Hi

Those males are most likely bradleyi as the patch on pruinosa covers the whole dorsal surface of the abdomen. There is natural variation in how pale (or not) they are.

From my understanding, a bradleyi female over 2.5 cm body should be a rare thing. They are listed as about 2cm. I'd hedge my bets that girl next to the tape measure might be occatoria.

Thanks for the confirmation, this is all new info to me but glad my guess is at least correct on the females. Had someone down in Vic that came really close to getting me a male Occatoria but nothing ever happened and we lost contact

 

[Dave1969]

Thanks for the confirmation, this is all new info to me but glad my guess is at least correct on the females. Had someone down in Vic that came really close to getting me a male Occatoria but nothing ever happened and we lost contact

I've been checking out the location where I found the deceased occatoria daily. I fear that I might have missed the boat this year. If I find a male, it'll be posted your way asap. Fingers crossed.

 

[Ungoliant]

Btw id start a conversation but my inbox is full.

To make room for new conversations in your inbox, check old conversations and select the "leave conversation" option.

 

[RezonantVoid]

I have been very busy recently, and have not touched this thread in some time considering. Ready to hear what ive been up to all this time?

First up, in 2 weeks time im moving right down to the very bottom of Australia to a little place called Wonthaggi. I have only a basic idea about potential spiders in the area but there's gonna be like 5 new Atracids on my doorstep as well a few very pretty wolf spiders.

So my collection's current condition is just 60% of my stuff in temporary transport containers, all prepped for the big move. Ive been doing my best to limit new additions but BOY am i bad at self control. I cant really give in depth descriptions of each but ill try and make it all interesting.

From @Rhino1, a second Arbanitis sp. Bellthorpe, a female to replace the mother that died shortly after laying an eggsac. Absolutely gorgeous


He was also kind enough to give me a second Euoplos Turrificus. I have decided that in the event i have to sell my collection, both of mine will be returned to him for wild release instead of being sold. E.Turrificus are in my eyes worth about $300+ each, but their wild population and survival is far more valuable than a mere tripple figure price tag.


I FINALLY got a bunch more Diplurids (cant even use that name anymore after the recent classification adjustments) and a few Hexathelids. I now have a total of 5 Australothele Nambucca including several freshly molted females and a new mature male. Lets hope he doesnt get smashed like my last male did. One of the females is the biggest ive ever seen, and oddly enough 3 of them all molted within 2 days of each other.


From the same private property as the specimens above came the following, a new Paraembolides sp. and Arbanitis sp. which happens to be a drawbridge maker. Gotta love the stripes on both of them.



I have a few more updates, which ill upload shortly

 

[Dave1969]

Some nice additions there.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Now time for Newsroom, info about stuff not necessarily related to the acquisition of new specimens but moreso with ongoing and upcoming projects.

First of all, breeding projects.

Failed-
*Arbanitis sp. Wooli
-Male matured well out of season and got eaten without a single attempt at drumming

Loss: significant

*Idiommata Silverback "Jack Pad"
-failed to acquire female in time, or even send the male back for release

Loss: very significant

Successful-
Arbanitis sp. Gold
-pairing between my largest female and the last remaining (now mature male) sling from the first sac i captive bred in 2018. All went perfectly and neither showed any aggression

Gain: minor, but still appreciated.

Sac is developing well


Upcoming-
Australothele Nambucca
Time frame: with the next 3 months, these guys have a weird breeding season. Female will require a sufficiently large enclosure to enable the male to escape.


Other fun things:

We went and visited some friends south of me. Took the opportunity to visit the location where i released some Arbanitis sp. Kempsey Black slings, to find them all flourishing

Tiny burrows can be seen in each photo.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Finally, a few more additions i forgot.

Ive got a new collector friend that lives in a spider hotspot, who sent me some gorgeous new critters

A new Arbanitis Longipes, the biggest Arbanitis ive ever seen


A new funnelweb, like H.Infensa or Valida.


Another Namea sp. Tambourine Black



ANOTHER Euoplos Variabilis


And on Friday, i actually caught a few more of my own. 2 new Arbanitis, a new Hexathelid and a new Atracid, likely Infensa or Macquariensis. I only have a photo of the funnelweb though.



Here's your reward for making it to the end, Yukinoshita

 

[Arthroverts]

For any of you who follow this thread closely, I just posted my interview with @RezonantVoid (thanks again RezonantVoid!) on my blog. Check it out here.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[RezonantVoid]

For any of you who follow this thread closely, I just posted my interview with @RezonantVoid (thanks again RezonantVoid!) on my blog. Check it out here.

Thanks,

Arthroverts

I was happy to help, anytime

In early June im starting a hopefully collaborative thread which will be my biggest care info block to date, a thoroughly updated care guide covering most groups of primitives once and for all. Its a direct upgrade to my last trapdoor care thread and will cover a much broader range of species, accurate habitat mimcry, and other care tips for unique behavior as well as semi-arboreals, communal housing tips for sac mates, bla bla bla. Hopefully it will be useful to someone

 

[RezonantVoid]

All the new additions from the other week.
New Hexathelid


The new, not Arbanitis, but Cataxia sp. Gibraltar


While not visible much here, theres prominent banding on the abdomen, and they dont construct lids either. Both of these really throw me off into thinking they were a low-gold Arbanitis sp.

And finally, put your hands together and welcome back the stage Hadronyche Valida!


Now i may or may not have taken photos of nearly all my collection while packing them away. Is there a group or genus you guys would like a visual update for?

 

[Ungoliant]

And finally, put your hands together and welcome back the stage Hadronyche Valida!

When they were giving out jaws, she got in line twice but skipped the floof line.

Now i may or may not have taken photos of nearly all my collection while packing them away. Is there a group or genus you guys would like a visual update for?

Trapdoors!

 

[RezonantVoid]

As you wish!

I have more photos but forgot to label which species was in each one. Here's 10 of the ones i liked the best.

Arbanitis sp. Drawbridge


Arbanitis sp. Gold


Arbanitis sp. Wooli



Arbanitis sp. Wooli MM


Cataxia/Homogona sp.


Arbanitis Longipes


Seqocrypta Jakara


Euoplos Variabilis



My other Cataxia are too aggressive to easily photograph, my Euoplos Turrificus is staying in its current setup with its clay mixture, my Idiommata sp. Silverback female is staying in her enclosure for a few weeks and my other Arbanitis are doing well. Ill take more photos of them all when unpacking them.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Some pics of Idiommata sp. Silverback/Electric Blue, im unsure if ive even updated on her since making this thread. Unfortunately, even for a trapdoor, her reclusive nature is extraordinary. A shame since she's one of my pretiest. Its difficult to get clear photos of her without spooking her at the same time.


I hope to make her a new enclosure where her iridescent legs will be much easier to photograph. Interestingly, she dug the entire cavity seen above by herself

 

[AvicRugby09]

Wow these are awesome spider!

 

[RezonantVoid]

Wow these are awesome spider!

Thanks! You have an awesome profile pic too

 

[AvicRugby09]

Thanks! You have an awesome profile pic too

Who doesn’t love Hollow Knight?

 

[RezonantVoid]

Among a few others ive been rehousing at my new house, here are my 2 adult tube webs.

Arbanitis sp. Coramba "featherleg" (named after the unusually fluffy legs she has).



Arbanitis sp. Bellthorpe "banded" (named after very prominent abdominal stripes. Potentially A.Mascordi).


She jumped out and i had to catch her



Very sadly, this week i announce the exit of 3 very special specimens. Hadronyche Walkeri, Hadronyche Lamingtonensis and worst of all one of my 2 Missulena Occatoria. I have no idea what caused their deaths, all 3 were perfectly healthy with no damage and died in their transport cups in a very short timeframe. For this reason i hurriedly rehoused all my medically significant species the other day, but due to only having mobile data for internet at the moment i will upload their photos at a later date