New World Fossorial Species?

viper69

ArachnoGod
Old Timer
Joined
Dec 8, 2006
Messages
17,851
Nothing I currently own of have kept from the Ischnocolinae subfamily has ever burrowed despite me providing more than enough sub for them to do so, at most they've moved a little dirt around to make constructing their web tunnels easier. Hardly anyone I've spoken has observed them digging burrows either.
Perhaps fossorial is a shades of grey term sort of...

I would not drop incei into the same life style as a Cobalt Blue for example. But they certainly are below surface more than most other NW Ts IME.

This is interesting.
 

Scp682

Arachnoknight
Joined
Oct 13, 2020
Messages
227
Most of this list is obligate burrowers, these are different from fossorials. Obligate borrowers are similar to most other terrestrials that need a hide. They make their own burrow and occasionally venture out however it is still just their hide. Fossorial animals spend almost all their lives underground. Even though they may still wait at the entrance of their burrow they won't venture much farther than that. There aren't many truly fossorial tarantulas, I'd classify them as more semi fossorial. trapdoor spiders for more accurately. A Fossorial's burrow is it's home and usually webbed up more, sometimes to the point of extending is via dirt curtains and such. Also, just because you don't see your spider out and about doesn't mean they're always in their hide. Virtually all are nocturnal and very shy so just because you don't see it out doesn't mean it doesn't use every bit of its enclosure.
 

CommanderBacon

Arachnobaron
Joined
May 21, 2018
Messages
498
All the dwarf Aphonopelmas. The entire Paloma species complex, afaik. My A parvum comes out sometimes, but all of my other ones have never left their burrows, ever. Some of them have never even opened them in over a year.
My Magnacarina primaverensis appears to be solely fossorial, but I haven't had it that long. It has made a very deep burrow.
My Cardiopelma mascatum is out because it needs to be rehoused, but a friend of mine keeps her in deeper substrate and says she rarely sees it.
 
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