Tarantula Lost Its Spinnerets (Phlogiellus johnreylazoi)

[Boaz Solorio]

A while back, I had traded some HH babies for a Phlogiellus johnreylazoi sling on July 26, 2019. (Formerly Phlogiellus sp. Palawan) It was active, alert, eating, and drinking, all signs of a healthy sling. I kept it in one of the Jamie's tarantulas cube enclosures with some jungle mix and a small cork bark flat, with the substrate being somewhat damp, though mostly dry towards the top layer, with a corner that stayed relatively moist, as I would continue to mist the corner of the enclosure. I suppose I should have noticed this sooner, but upon rehousing the sling from the cup I bought it in, (That had established a burrow lined with webbing.) it had not burrowed since I housed it in the new enclosure. Over time, the spider appeared healthy, until I began to notice one of the spinnerets sagging a little, limp. I thought little of it, as it was still sometimes moving normally. Upon looking over some photos of the spider, I have noticed the opisosthoma looked ratger flattened where the spinnerets resided. Then, about a week or two checking in on it, (By this time, a little around mid August) the spinneret was discolored, reddish and now completely limp. I began trying to find reports of this online, reasons for it happening. I haven't found much in that area, but the spider was behaving normally, so I was just waiting for a molt. Premolt came around, and by that time, the spinneret had turned black from rot, which was extremely concerning. I had been (figuratively) biting my nails over it, hoping the molt would be successful. Finally, it molted on September 13, 2019, and the spider looked fine, no discoloration, seemed as spastic and speedy as ever even after the molt. However, both spinnerets almost missing, with one basically a stub, and the other missing the tip of it. According to what I've read, no one has any idea if they can regenerate them or not, so at this point, my only option is to care for it properly and to observe it's behaviour and progression from here. I'll report the results of it's next molt and so forth, adding to this thread.
My hypothesis is it could have been injured by an unobserved stowaway could have injured the spider, causing the wound to get infected, ultimately leading to necrosis. Or, bacteria could have accumulated in it's enclosure and caused the spinneret to degenerate. I also think its's possible that impaction could be the culprit, but I know too little about that subject to make that claim.
The first two photos are of the specimen after it's molt, the last is of the specimen before the spinneret itself showed any abnormalities.

 

[Arthroverts]

Huh. I hope it recovers, it is such a beautiful tarantula; could it have been something that had happened to it before it came into your care?

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[EtienneN]

How on Earth does an OW T lose all the hair on the abdomen?!

I don’t think the damaged spinnerets are a life threatening issue. No reason why they wouldn’t eventually regenerate like a lost limb.

 

[Boaz Solorio]

How on Earth does an OW T lose all the hair on the abdomen?!

I don’t think the damaged spinnerets are a life threatening issue. No reason why they wouldn’t eventually regenerate like a lost limb.

I'm more concerned if it's a symptom of something else, but you know what, good question, what on earth happened to it's opisosthoma? I assumed it just became swollen after a few big meals, but I supposed I overlooked that part as well.

 

[Boaz Solorio]

Huh. I hope it recovers, it is such a beautiful tarantula; could it have been something that had happened to it before it came into your care?

Thanks,

Arthroverts

Thank you, it is a pretty fascinating species. I noticed not many people have this one in their collection, so I'm trying my best to keep this one alive for future breeding efforts. Also, could be, but the people I got it from are trusted sellers/breeders, with all the animals I buy from them healthy and active. It could be an anomaly, of course.

 

[Arthroverts]

Yes, I had never even heard of this species prior to this post. Can't wait to see some more photos of this beaut .

Thanks,

Arthroverts

 

[FrDoc]

The question of possible causes aside, the short answer is spinnerets will regenerate.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Never thought I'd see a non mature Phlogius go bald. No idea on the cause, but spinnerets aren't anything a few molts can't fix

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

How on Earth does an OW T lose all the hair on the abdomen?!

It can happen during a molt when the old abdominal cuticle is stuck to the new and pulls all the hair off when removed (as if being waxed) or if the new abdominal cuticle didn't form correctly prior to molting. I suspect the latter since the spinnerets also had some problems.

 

[Boaz Solorio]

Yes, I had never even heard of this species prior to this post. Can't wait to see some more photos of this beaut .

Thanks,

Arthroverts

Thank you! I'll definitely get more if I can keep it still.

 

[Boaz Solorio]

The question of possible causes aside, the short answer is spinnerets will regenerate.

That's a relief, thank you.

 

[Boaz Solorio]

Never thought I'd see a non mature Phlogius go bald. No idea on the cause, but spinnerets aren't anything a few molts can't fix

Do you have any idea why it would go bald in the first place? For spiders with urticating hair patches, it's understandable, but in this case it's just plain bizarre.

 

[Boaz Solorio]

It can happen during a molt when the old abdominal cuticle is stuck to the new and pulls all the hair off when removed (as if being waxed) or if the new abdominal cuticle didn't form correctly prior to molting. I suspect the latter since the spinnerets also had some problems.

That does sound probable, but it was within the same instar that it went bald.

 

[RezonantVoid]

Do you have any idea why it would go bald in the first place? For spiders with urticating hair patches, it's understandable, but in this case it's just plain bizarre.

I have quite a few Phlogius but never this issue. It has happened on one of my. Funnelwebs during a wet molt, and they have slightly less hair on their abdomen that an OW T. Other than that, no other theories come to mind