Sex the P. metallica

[Lorgakor]

Two different P. metallica, I haven't been able to sex either of them by moult. Both spiders are 4.5", though spider #1 is larger in body.

Spider #1
Dorsal shot


Ventral



Spider #2
Dorsal shot. I know this pic sucks but it was the best I could get at the time.


Ventral, a couple different angles.

 

[NevularScorpion]

female 90%

 

[Talkenlate04]

The last ventral pic on #2 looks male but the other shots look female, and #1 I'll say is female. This is why pics are so tricky. There is no substitute for seeing it in person.

 

[ftorres]

Hello,
#1 female
#2 male,but I am just stimating.

good luck

francisco

 

[TTstinger]

nothing about that 2nd photo looks male you got female 100%

 

[Talkenlate04]

nothing about that 2nd photo looks male you got female 100%

There are two spiders. And the last photo on spider 2 does not look female. IMO.

 

[tacoma0680]

I am going with the rest of you the first is a female and the second is a male for sure

 

[Talkenlate04]

The abdominal pattern on #2 does not look female ether.

 

[thedude]

i say
#1 female and #2 male aswell

 

[T Frank]

#1 female #2 male

 

[Oasis Inverts]

I agreee #1 Female #2 Male... Like Ryan said it's hard to tell without seeing it for your self.

 

[Tunedbeat]

What makes #2 look male?

 

[Lorgakor]

The abdominal pattern on #2 does not look female ether.

I do not believe that this is any indication of sex with this species. I have seen male and female P. metallica with clear, white folios. And then I have also seen males with a thin dark line, so I don't think this is reliable.

I have had such mixed replies with these two, from both males, to both females, to #1 female and #2 male.

Personally I am hoping that #1 is female and #2 is male. I hope that their next moults are not torn, and that I have a microscope by then. Thanks for all the replies everyone!

 

[TTstinger]

both female.... Ryan Not being rude here but that what I meant in my first post. the 2nd spider....

 

[Anastasia]

all depend on light and angles of the pics here
but with out reading and replyes
first is female
second is male
Thank you, Anastasia

 

[xhexdx]

My first thoughts were #1 female, #2 male as well.

 

[sick4x4]

I do not believe that this is any indication of sex with this species. I have seen male and female P. metallica with clear, white folios. And then I have also seen males with a thin dark line, so I don't think this is reliable.

I have had such mixed replies with these two, from both males, to both females, to #1 female and #2 male.

Personally I am hoping that #1 is female and #2 is male. I hope that their next moults are not torn, and that I have a microscope by then. Thanks for all the replies everyone!

ryans right, the abdominal stripe in a male is much more pronounced then in a female...which can be a clear indication as to it being m or f at over 2.5"s...also the solidness of the white stripe on the carapace is another que to use....on metallicas the abdominal stripe is 100% at maturity...you must not be around mature metallicas much....

 

[Lorgakor]

ryans right, the abdominal stripe in a male is much more pronounced then in a female...which can be a clear indication as to it being m or f at over 2.5"s...also the solidness of the white stripe on the carapace is another que to use....on metallicas the abdominal stripe is 100% at maturity...you must not be around mature metallicas much....

We are not talking about mature spiders here. If my spiders were mature then there would not be a question of their sex. I'm talking about sub-adults, I've seen both and I haven't seen much of a difference between the two.

 

[sick4x4]

heres a juvenile female 3.75"s

 

[sick4x4]

carapace shot of another female 4.25"s