Phormictopus cancerides and Phormictopus auratus difference

[Mer09]

I noticed that there maybe a slight difference between the two. I think one looks darker than the other. I have a p.cancerides and am thinking of getting the p.auratus but was just curious of the difference?

 

[KezyGLA]

Its a different species.. with fifferent taxonomical features (spermathecae, tibial spurs etc.)

Also, P. auratus is golden in colour on the femurs and carapace.

 

[Nightstalker47]

Yeah two completely different spiders.

 

[Vanisher]

I have a juvenile of this speicies!

 

[NukaMedia Exotics]

The P. auratus is the "Cuban Bronze" tarantula, which has a very golden sheen to mainly the carapace and chelicerae (I own a juvenile female). The cancerides do not get this color.

 

[Olan]

cancerides (well, “sp. purple”, but it looks just like a cancerides):



auratus:


If you like your cancerides and want more Phormictopus, auratus is a good choice in my opinion

 

[dangerforceidle]

If you like your cancerides and want more Phormictopus, auratus is a good choice in my opinion

Yep. Gorgeous species.

 

[antinous]

Also to add, auratus slings do not have the blue coloration (as well as any other Cuban species) that the typical Phormictopus have.

 

[Vanisher]

I have noticed tha P auratus sling seems to grow more sliwly than say a P cancerides sling. I have a P auratus that i bougt as a sling. Now its juvenile but it grows way slower than any P cancerides or P atrichomatus i have had in the past, as i can recall? Maybe i just have a weirdo!? Can anyone here that gas greater experience with Phormictopus auratus tell me their experience with growthrate!

 

[antinous]

I have noticed tha P auratus sling seems to grow more sliwly than say a P cancerides sling. I have a P auratus that i bougt as a sling. Now its juvenile but it grows way slower than any P cancerides or P atrichomatus i have had in the past, as i can recall? Maybe i just have a weirdo!? Can anyone here that gas greater experience with Phormictopus auratus tell me their experience with growthrate!

Cuban Phormictopus tend to be smaller and slower growing as well

 

[Vanisher]

I thought it was something like that! Thanks for quick replie!!

 

[Goopyguy56]

I just picked up an auratus a few,months ago. My first of the genus so I cant comment on the differences. I do want morw phormictopus though. I cant believe how relatively cheap they are considering how good looking they are.

 

[Vanisher]

Yes, your right. They are among my favourit NW genus! Very underrated!

 

[antinous]

I just picked up an auratus a few,months ago. My first of the genus so I cant comment on the differences. I do want morw phormictopus though. I cant believe how relatively cheap they are considering how good looking they are.

Shh, we have to keep pretending they’re ugly so more people don’t get them...

 

[Goopyguy56]

I have noticed tha P auratus sling seems to grow more sliwly than say a P cancerides sling. I have a P auratus that i bougt as a sling. Now its juvenile but it grows way slower than any P cancerides or P atrichomatus i have had in the past, as i can recall? Maybe i just have a weirdo!? Can anyone here that gas greater experience with Phormictopus auratus tell me their experience with growthrate!

Was your auratus blue as a sling? I purchased mine from a well known site and mine is blue bit folks are on here saying that auratus are not blue as slings so maybe i got something else

 

[antinous]

Was your auratus blue as a sling? I purchased mine from a well known site and mine is blue bit folks are on here saying that auratus are not blue as slings so maybe i got something else

If it was blue like other Phormictopus slings, it's def not an auratus.

Here's a good paper to read on Phormictopus:
http://www.macilacispiders.hu/wp-co...TS_journal_31_2-only-phormictopus-article.pdf

 

[Goopyguy56]

Yeah I just checked on it after I posted. It doesn't look as blue as I once thought. More like gray brown. Interesting read though. It seems like the taxonomy on the genus is pretty muddy. I will check on mine after it molts. I am not sure if the non cuban varieties stay blue for a while. I remember it kind of looking blue when I first got it. It might just be in premolt now. It hasnt molted in my care yet. I hope it is what I ordered. I got it from jamies so i figured it would be what i ordered. Its about one inch dls

 

[antinous]

Yeah I just checked on it after I posted. It doesn't look as blue as I once thought. More like gray brown. Interesting read though. It seems like the taxonomy on the genus is pretty muddy. I will check on mine after it molts. I am not sure if the non cuban varieties stay blue for a while. I remember it kind of looking blue when I first got it. It might just be in premolt now. It hasnt molted in my care yet. I hope it is what I ordered. I got it from jamies so i figured it would be what i ordered. Its about one inch dls

When in doubt post a photo! Lol

 

[Goopyguy56]

When in doubt post a photo! Lol

I will when i get a chance. It is so shy it runs into its burrow at the slightest.

 

[korg]

Here's a good paper to read on Phormictopus:
http://www.macilacispiders.hu/wp-co...TS_journal_31_2-only-phormictopus-article.pdf

Thanks for the link. Very interesting stuff!

I noticed in reading the paper that it specifically mentioned P. cubensis as having brown and not blue spiderlings, but the part where it mentions this for other Cuban Phormictopus is ambiguous... it basically says other Cuban Phormictopus have brown slings, not necessarily that ALL Cuban Phormictopus do? And the brown sling color isn't mentioned in the P. auratus section. Apologies for my ignorance if this is already a known fact, but I'm certainly curious given that I purchased my first ever Phormictopus a few months ago from a reputable dealer and it now looks like this:

Hopefully someone who has raised P. auratus slings will weigh in!