My first Whipscorpion...ID?
- Thread starter pinkfoot
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I'm not able to ID the species, But whatever it is, it looks like you have a female. 
Make sure it has a place to molt while hanging upside down. A peice of cork bark or somthing leaned against the side of the enclosure will provide a perfect hide.
Make sure it has a place to molt while hanging upside down. A peice of cork bark or somthing leaned against the side of the enclosure will provide a perfect hide.
tyrel said:I'm not able to ID the species, But whatever it is, it looks like you have a female.
Whhooooaaaa! Way cool!tyrel said:
What indicates it's a female, tyrel?
I've read before about this 'upside down' stuff... Must she be able to invert herself comfortably, or actually hang upside down like, say, a Fruit Bat?
Thanks form the reply - :clap:
NewGriot - Thanks to you for the input! How many species of these guys are there, and where could I look?
Cheers!
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A male would heve MUCH longer pedipalps than that.pinkfoot said:Whhooooaaaa! Way cool!
What indicates it's a female, tyrel?
I've read before about this 'upside down' stuff... Must she be able to invert herself comfortably, or actually hang upside down like, say, a Fruit Bat?
Thanks form the reply - :clap:
NewGriot - Thanks to you for the input! How many species of these guys are there, and where could I look?
Cheers!
Im not sure what you mean by "invert herself", but I think as long as she is hanging off somthing she will be fine, The main concern is having enough height to complete the molt.
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Probably Damon variegatus.
Damon spp.
Based on Peter Weygoldts`s "Revision of the Genus Damon C.L.Koch, 1850"
There are 2 different Groups of Damon in Africa:
The western group of species (to find in Rain Forrests):
-Damon johnstonii (Southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo)
-Damon medius (Senegal, Guinea, Cote d`Ivorie, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Sierra Leone, Nigeria), also likes savannah-like habitats
-Damon tibialis (Angola, Congo, Sao Tome&Principe)
-Damon uncinatus (Western Cameroon)
The eastern group of species or Damon variegatus species group (to find in dryer habitats or caves) :
-Damon brachialis (Mozambique, Sambia, Malawi)
-Damon diadema (Kenia, Tanzania, Somalia and Eritrea, specimens in Yemen too)
-Damon gracilis (Angola, Namibia)
-Damon longispinatus (Tanzania)
-Damon variegatus (Democratic Republic of Congo, Western Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa)
-Damon annulatipes (Northern Province of South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe)
Differences between this species are not easy to see. They are little spines on pedipalps, differences in pedipalpfingers, different antenniform leg segments ans so on.
With some good macro-pics like above (from a molt its the easiest way) its possible to distinguish species.
But maybe the natural habitat list on the top helps you to find out what your Damon is.
Based on Peter Weygoldts`s "Revision of the Genus Damon C.L.Koch, 1850"
There are 2 different Groups of Damon in Africa:
The western group of species (to find in Rain Forrests):
-Damon johnstonii (Southern Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Congo)
-Damon medius (Senegal, Guinea, Cote d`Ivorie, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Sierra Leone, Nigeria), also likes savannah-like habitats
-Damon tibialis (Angola, Congo, Sao Tome&Principe)
-Damon uncinatus (Western Cameroon)
The eastern group of species or Damon variegatus species group (to find in dryer habitats or caves) :
-Damon brachialis (Mozambique, Sambia, Malawi)
-Damon diadema (Kenia, Tanzania, Somalia and Eritrea, specimens in Yemen too)
-Damon gracilis (Angola, Namibia)
-Damon longispinatus (Tanzania)
-Damon variegatus (Democratic Republic of Congo, Western Tanzania, Zimbabwe, South Africa)
-Damon annulatipes (Northern Province of South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe)
Differences between this species are not easy to see. They are little spines on pedipalps, differences in pedipalpfingers, different antenniform leg segments ans so on.
With some good macro-pics like above (from a molt its the easiest way) its possible to distinguish species.
But maybe the natural habitat list on the top helps you to find out what your Damon is.
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Are these hard to breed?
breed
@Natco:
Much easier to breed than many other spiders.
Keep a male and a female together...and some months later you will have slings. They can kept together, hole families. I`ve never seen aggressions against other whipspiders.
Importent is enough space for molting. They are molting their streched antennas too.
@ pinkfoot:
Did you catch your Damon by yourself?
@Natco:
Much easier to breed than many other spiders.
Keep a male and a female together...and some months later you will have slings. They can kept together, hole families. I`ve never seen aggressions against other whipspiders.
Importent is enough space for molting. They are molting their streched antennas too.
@ pinkfoot:
Did you catch your Damon by yourself?
Closest I came is to catch a good deal at a pet store, I'm afraid!NewGriot said:
I believe it was caught in South Africa, but do not have the location yet...
Great reply, BTW - Thanks a ton!!
:worship: I've learned she's a female and will now try to find a suitable groom. Since you've said they live communally, can I keep several in my sized tank? 23cm high x 23cm deep x 30cm wide.
She's in a moist environment, with bark chips glued to the glass, vermiculite / peat substrate, two climbing logs (hollowed out) and water dish filled.
tyrel
Sorry if it was a bit confusing - I guess she needs to be able to turn upside against a vertical or slanted surface, right? As against hanging upside down from the ceiling like a trapeze? But I think that's cleared up - cheers!
DavidBeard
Cheers, mate!
Tank
Well, 23 × 23 × 30 is not very much, but it works.
My first (huge) pair I`ve had I hold in a w20/d20/h40 tank.
They did breed and molt in it, but I think that was more lucky than something else that it works.
Today, I would not hold a pair in a tank who`s smaller than 30/30/40.
(My whippers have w60/d50/h60 now).
Hope you`ll find out where your Damon came from.
Well, 23 × 23 × 30 is not very much, but it works.
My first (huge) pair I`ve had I hold in a w20/d20/h40 tank.
They did breed and molt in it, but I think that was more lucky than something else that it works.
Today, I would not hold a pair in a tank who`s smaller than 30/30/40.
(My whippers have w60/d50/h60 now).
Hope you`ll find out where your Damon came from.
