Spermathecae Resource Thread

[NMTs]

2 females for consideration:

0.1 Encyocratella olivacea - 2.75" DLS

• NMTs
• Oct 22, 2023
• 1
• encyocratella encyocratella olivacea female olivacea sexing uterus externus

Female for reference. I've seen a few questions lately about sexing this species since they...

0.1 Sericopelma sp. Santa Catalina - 2.5" DLS

• NMTs
• Oct 22, 2023
• 2
• sericopelma sericopelma sp. "santa catalina" sexing sp "santa catalina " female spermathecae

Female spermathecae for reference.

 

[NMTs]

0.1 Omothymus sp. Sumatran tiger - 2.5" DLS

• NMTs
• Dec 15, 2023
• female spermathecae omothymus omothymus sp sumatran tiger sumatran tiger

Spermathecae pic for reference. Molt measured 2.5" DLS.

 

[NMTs]

0.1 Psalmopoeus pulcher - 4.75" DLS

• NMTs
• Feb 1, 2024
• psalmopoeus psalmopoeus pulcher pulcher spermathecae

Dorsal view, for reference.

 

[NMTs]

I had to step up my molt sexing game (thanks for the recommendations on the equipment, @l4nsky - ):


I was just getting the hang of it with some larger exuvia. I feel like I got it now, so we'll start with some smaller ones as they come.

0.1 Ephebopus rufescens - 3.75" DLS

• NMTs
• May 10, 2024
• ephebopus ephebopus rufescens female spermathecae red skeleton tarantula

For reference, ventral view.

0.1 Citharognathus tongmianensis - 2.75" DLS

• NMTs
• May 10, 2024
• citharognathus citharognathus tongmianensis female spermathecae tongmianensis

For reference, not many examples available.

 

[l4nsky]

I had to step up my molt sexing game (thanks for the recommendations on the equipment, @l4nsky - ):
View attachment 473086

I was just getting the hang of it with some larger exuvia. I feel like I got it now, so we'll start with some smaller ones as they come.

0.1 Ephebopus rufescens - 3.75" DLS

• NMTs
• May 10, 2024
• ephebopus ephebopus rufescens female spermathecae red skeleton tarantula

For reference, ventral view.

0.1 Citharognathus tongmianensis - 2.75" DLS

• NMTs
• May 10, 2024
• citharognathus citharognathus tongmianensis female spermathecae tongmianensis

For reference, not many examples available.

Night and day right?

 

[NMTs]

Night and day right?

Being able to manipulate the molt while it is under magnification is a game changer, for sure, and so is all the additional lighting. I'm happy with the investment. Do you have a camera on yours? That might be phase 2...

 

[jrh3]

I had to step up my molt sexing game (thanks for the recommendations on the equipment, @l4nsky - ):
View attachment 473086

I was just getting the hang of it with some larger exuvia. I feel like I got it now, so we'll start with some smaller ones as they come.

0.1 Ephebopus rufescens - 3.75" DLS

• NMTs
• May 10, 2024
• ephebopus ephebopus rufescens female spermathecae red skeleton tarantula

For reference, ventral view.

0.1 Citharognathus tongmianensis - 2.75" DLS

• NMTs
• May 10, 2024
• citharognathus citharognathus tongmianensis female spermathecae tongmianensis

For reference, not many examples available.

What model is that scope?

 

[NMTs]

What model is that scope?

I ordered it from Amazon as a Vision VS-2FZ, but it arrived with Walter QZF branding.

Vision Scientific VS-2FZ Trinocular Zoom Stereo Microscope, 0.7X—4.5X Zoom Range, 3.5X—90x Magnification Range, 0.5X & 2X Auxiliary Lens, Dual LED Illumination, Track Stand https://a.co/d/8mDmiOC

 

[l4nsky]

Being able to manipulate the molt while it is under magnification is a game changer, for sure, and so is all the additional lighting. I'm happy with the investment. Do you have a camera on yours? That might be phase 2...

I don't. I also have a trinocular setup, so a camera is a future upgrade for me as well. For now, I'm just mounting molts in 60mm petri dishes as a reference library. Will be easy to digitize when I do pull the trigger on a camera.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Wha magnification are you finding most useful? The one I have (a student microscope from the ‘70’s) is too powerful. It’s hard to see where I am when the lowest makes each hair stand out in high detail.

 

[NMTs]

Wha magnification are you finding most useful? The one I have (a student microscope from the ‘70’s) is too powerful. It’s hard to see where I am when the lowest makes each hair stand out in high detail.

I honestly don't know how to do all the math involved with calculating that - I know the objective lens adds some level of magnification, the eyepieces add another level, and the zoom adds more... I know that the objective lens I'm using is 0.5X, the eyepieces are 10X, and zoom between 2-4X has been a good range for me.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

I honestly don't know how to do all the math involved with calculating that - I know the objective lens adds some level of magnification, the eyepieces add another level, and the zoom adds more... I know that the objective lens I'm using is 0.5X, the eyepieces are 10X, and zoom between 2-4X has been a good range for me.

You multiply all of the magnification powers together to get the total magnification.

1X objective * 10X eye piece * 4.5X zoom setting = 45X total magnification
1X objective * 10X eye piece * 0.7X zoom setting = 7X total magnification

Your auxiliary lenses that screw on to the objective lens adds to or reduces the total magnification....

1X objective * 2X auxiliary * 10X eye piece * 4.5X zoom setting = 90X total magnification
1X objective * 0.5 auxiliary * 10X eye piece * 4.5X zoom setting = 22.5X total magnification

And so on.

 

[NMTs]

You multiply all of the magnification powers together to get the total magnification.

1X objective * 10X eye piece * 4.5X zoom setting = 45X total magnification
1X objective * 10X eye piece * 0.7X zoom setting = 7X total magnification

Your auxiliary lenses that screw on to the objective lens adds to or reduces the total magnification....

1X objective * 2X auxiliary * 10X eye piece * 4.5X zoom setting = 90X total magnification
1X objective * 0.5 auxiliary * 10X eye piece * 4.5X zoom setting = 22.5X total magnification

And so on.

Cool, thanks! So I've been most comfortable using 10X-20X magnification (1X objective × 0.5X auxiliary × 10X eyepieces × 2X or 4X zoom = 10X or 20X total magnification). I haven't tried any really small molts yet, though, so that may change as I move on to smaller specimens (I just got molts from a couple Cyriocosmus slings, so that'll be a test).

 

[NMTs]

4" DLS Davus pentaloris with the uterus externus folded down, exposing the spermathecae:

0.1 Davus pentaloris - 4" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• 1
• davus pentaloris female spermathecae pentaloris

For reference - playing with my new microscope...

Here's the same molt with the uterus externus extended over the top of the spermathecae. Interestingly, it's almost the exact same shape...


Here's one that I'm excited to document the development of:

0.1 Eucratoscelus pachypus - 1" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• eucratoscelus eucratoscelus pachypus female spermathecae pachypus sling stout leg baboon tarantula

For reference. I was pleasantly surprised to see 2 little nubs on this molt that measures just...

 

[Charliemum]

4" DLS Davus pentaloris with the uterus externus folded down, exposing the spermathecae:

0.1 Davus pentaloris - 4" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• 1
• davus pentaloris female spermathecae pentaloris

For reference - playing with my new microscope...

Here's the same molt with the uterus externus extended over the top of the spermathecae. Interestingly, it's almost the exact same shape...
View attachment 473871

Here's one that I'm excited to document the development of:

0.1 Eucratoscelus pachypus - 1" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• eucratoscelus eucratoscelus pachypus female spermathecae pachypus sling stout leg baboon tarantula

For reference. I was pleasantly surprised to see 2 little nubs on this molt that measures just...

Wow 1inch dls just .... know where to send my moults in future not be long before you hold the tiniest moult sexed title

 

[HOITrance]

4" DLS Davus pentaloris with the uterus externus folded down, exposing the spermathecae:

0.1 Davus pentaloris - 4" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• 1
• davus pentaloris female spermathecae pentaloris

For reference - playing with my new microscope...

Here's the same molt with the uterus externus extended over the top of the spermathecae. Interestingly, it's almost the exact same shape...
View attachment 473871

Here's one that I'm excited to document the development of:

0.1 Eucratoscelus pachypus - 1" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• eucratoscelus eucratoscelus pachypus female spermathecae pachypus sling stout leg baboon tarantula

For reference. I was pleasantly surprised to see 2 little nubs on this molt that measures just...

OMG so jealous of the E.pachypus...that actually holds my #1 dream spider spot lol (even above moorae and solaris )

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

Here's one that I'm excited to document the development of:

0.1 Eucratoscelus pachypus - 1" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• eucratoscelus eucratoscelus pachypus female spermathecae pachypus sling stout leg baboon tarantula

For reference. I was pleasantly surprised to see 2 little nubs on this molt that measures just...

You have supervision man! And mad patience.

 

[NMTs]

You have supervision man! And mad patience.

I often need supervision - just ask my wife! LOL.

 

[IntermittentSygnal]

I often need supervision - just ask my wife! LOL.

Ha, I didn’t even catch that!! Super vision, lol. Even on the magnification, I can’t see it very well.

 

[l4nsky]

4" DLS Davus pentaloris with the uterus externus folded down, exposing the spermathecae:

0.1 Davus pentaloris - 4" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• 1
• davus pentaloris female spermathecae pentaloris

For reference - playing with my new microscope...

Here's the same molt with the uterus externus extended over the top of the spermathecae. Interestingly, it's almost the exact same shape...
View attachment 473871

Here's one that I'm excited to document the development of:

0.1 Eucratoscelus pachypus - 1" DLS

• NMTs
• May 21, 2024
• eucratoscelus eucratoscelus pachypus female spermathecae pachypus sling stout leg baboon tarantula

For reference. I was pleasantly surprised to see 2 little nubs on this molt that measures just...

Lol I think I might have helped create a monster here lol. Next thing you know @NMTs Is trying to get time on the electron microscope in Albuquerque, talking about I need to sex this molt from a Cyriocosmus sellatus that went from EWL to 1i .