Tliltocal albopilosum (Ometepe Island).

[The Grym Reaper]

The first is the Ometepe Island form, with those bluish femurs. The second is a true Nicaraguan curly hair.

The first image just looks like a Nicaraguan form that's still teneral after moulting.

 

[Matt Man]

The first image just looks like a Nicaraguan form that's still teneral after moulting.

Maybe it's just me (but I work in advertising) but this could be a way to get a few more $s out of a standard T Albopilosus

Perhaps some floated across on wood and formed a colony. I just don't know if that was enough time to completely diverge. Physical Isolation can produce unique species (see the Galapagos) but typically there needs to be something different to drive the change via natural selection. Otherwise they came over as hidden cargo with humans

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Maybe it's just me (but I work in advertising) but this could be a way to get a few more $s out of a standard T Albopilosus

I honestly have such a low opinion of humans that this was pretty much my first thought on seeing them (basically "invent a new form so that you can shift your excess Nicaraguan forms that you can't shift under 'true form' hype anymore").

 

[Ian14]

Maybe it's just me (but I work in advertising) but this could be a way to get a few more $s out of a standard T Albopilosus

Here in the UK they are the same price as Nicaraguan curly hairs, so that isn't the case.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

Here in the UK they are the same price as Nicaraguan curly hairs, so that isn't the case.

They probably got called out on it and adjusted their prices, been told they were selling at triple the price of the Nicaraguan form

 

[Ian14]

They probably got called out on it and adjusted their prices, been told they were selling at triple the price of the Nicaraguan form

I dont think so. Certainly with the seller I buy from, they have been the same price since they appeared on their price list (£5 for slings).
Its possible previously they were higher but this year they are the same price.

 

[Matt Man]

and what evolutionary factor would drive a color shift in less than 12K years? Unless there was a small population that got over somehow that was more blue and they have been inbreeding for years. It's not out of the realm of possibilities but doubtful.

 

[Ian14]

If they are still available when i next order, I'll add one. I have 2 Nic curly hairs so it will be interesting to see if this island form does actually look different when it grows.

 

[Dorifto]

and what evolutionary factor would drive a color shift in less than 12K years? Unless there was a small population that got over somehow that was more blue and they have been inbreeding for years. It's not out of the realm of possibilities but doubtful.

Here we have a lizard (Podarcis hispanicus sebastiani) that lived isolated in a small island since 1700, in the santa clara island to be exact, and they evolved into a new sub species, with their size differences, biggers, and a color shift. Species can evolve pretty fast or die very fast if something changes in their habitats. In that case could be that the females preferred a more bluish tint over the rest Ts, so the new generations will have a more bluish tint over time, and if that was the case, they don't need too much generations to shift the colors.

 

[Smotzer]

Until there are actual reports and a study I have strong doubts. We already know such bad practices and inaccurate records exist with actual localities of this species in the first place.

 

[Arachnid Addicted]

Until there are actual reports and a study I have strong doubts. We already know such bad practices and inaccurate records exist with actual localities of this species in the first place.

Agreed. Besides the "blue" color, which can be easily popped out by lighting or edition, there is nothing spectacular about these specimens that others T. albopilosum don't have. Lol.

 

[Smotzer]

Agreed. Besides the "blue" color, which can be easily popped out by lighting or edition, there is nothing spectacular about these specimens that others T. albopilosum don't have. Lol.

Exactly!! Stuff like this, I believe, is just going to increase in frequency as this hobby becomes more popular and more mainstream. Theres always going to be a "new species" or "new form" to gouge people and jack up prices on tarantulas without any real reason or legitimate collection records. We've seen it a lot already. Years ago I got some Xenethis species for like $30-50 per sling and now they go for easily $150 and up....like come on people....

 

[Frogdaddy]

Here we have a lizard (Podarcis hispanicus sebastiani) that lived isolated in a small island since 1700, in the santa clara island to be exact, and they evolved into a new sub species, with their size differences, biggers, and a color shift. Species can evolve pretty fast or die very fast if something changes in their habitats. In that case could be that the females preferred a more bluish tint over the rest Ts, so the new generations will have a more bluish tint over time, and if that was the case, they don't need too much generations to shift the colors.

Similar story, Dendrobates auratus Tobago were imported and released on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in the 1930's in an effort to control the mosquito population. They changed appearance so much in just a few decades that the Hawaiian frogs are considered their own distinct locale.

 

[Ian14]

If they are still available when i next order, I'll add one. I have 2 Nic curly hairs so it will be interesting to see if this island form does actually look different when it grows.

I now have one of these coming next week.

 

[stormbringer]

As far as I understand, the Tliltocatl albopilosus (Ometepe Island) currently available here in the UK, were bred in the UK in 2020 by Ray Gabriel who collected some juvenile specimens himself, from habitat, in 2014. Considering the small area on the island that they were collected from, they would not have been subjected to genetic out crossing and so there is every possibility/likelihood that they have developed some quite localized traits/appearance characteristics.

 

[Matt Man]

Here we have a lizard (Podarcis hispanicus sebastiani) that lived isolated in a small island since 1700, in the santa clara island to be exact, and they evolved into a new sub species, with their size differences, biggers, and a color shift. Species can evolve pretty fast or die very fast if something changes in their habitats. In that case could be that the females preferred a more bluish tint over the rest Ts, so the new generations will have a more bluish tint over time, and if that was the case, they don't need too much generations to shift the colors.

I can see that happening in a couple hundred years and a changing environment showing evolutionary preferences to a color morph that better matches

 

[The Spider House]

As far as I understand, the Tliltocatl albopilosus (Ometepe Island) currently available here in the UK, were bred in the UK in 2020 by Ray Gabriel who collected some juvenile specimens himself, from habitat, in 2014. Considering the small area on the island that they were collected from, they would not have been subjected to genetic out crossing and so there is every possibility/likelihood that they have developed some quite localized traits/appearance characteristics.

Did he (Ray) supply The Spider Shop? That's where I got mine from which as others have pointed out, same price as the Nicuraguan form so was really curious to see if any noticable differences were evident.

 

[HeartBum]

Did he (Ray) supply The Spider Shop? That's where I got mine from which as others have pointed out, same price as the Nicuraguan form so was really curious to see if any noticable differences were evident.

Interested to know, me too. Only a sling, moulted once in my care thus far.

 

[Frogdaddy]

I've only seen one photo of a freshly molted sling posted from a keeper here in the US
Not sure how available this morph is here, seems like the UK has a monopoly.

 

[jrh3]

I've only seen one photo of a freshly molted sling posted from a keeper here in the US
Not sure how available this morph is here, seems like the UK has a monopoly.

I think they sold out fairly quickly in the US. I would like to see more adult specimen pictures before I pay 3 times what the regular albos cost.