What do I have here?

monkeywrench133

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 7, 2006
Messages
17
Hello Folks

I found an ad on Craig's list yesterday for a "Goliath" tarantula. I contacted the guy, and arranged to meet with him. He wasn't a tarantula guy, and got this particular T as part of a trade. He'd been interested in keeping it, until his girlfriend saw it. Long story short, he couldn't tell me what it is, but I figured it'd be better off with me, since he had it in a Critter Keeper half filled with pea gravel.

So, any suggestions as to what this guy is? One thing I should mention, it has about a dime size bald spot on the rear of its abdomen that is pinkish in color. It also has longer red hairs on its abdomen.







Body size is about 2-2 1/2 inches. No idea about age.

Thanks!!
 

P. Novak

ArachnoGod
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OK I could be way off, but I'm gonna give it a guess... let's see if I get anywhere in the ballpark.

It's either Megaphobema spp. or Sericopelma spp.

Megaphobema velvetosoma or Sericopelma rubronitens are my guesses.

I'm going more along my second guess though.
 
Last edited:

Talkenlate04

ArachnoGod
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Now you are making me feel way off cause that looks like a B. Vagans.
 

Talkenlate04

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138

Arachnoknight
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monkeywrench133 is it greyish or brownish under normal lighting?

from the pictures i agree with Novak.
 

P. Novak

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Brachypelma vagans and Sericopelma rubronitens look alike in some ways, but the body structure in the second picture really screams Sericopelma rubronitens.

Can you take pics of the T while stretched out?
 

Talkenlate04

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maybe maybe.......:} dang those two really do look alike.
I still think the carapace tells me brachy. its almost black in this pic of the Sericopelma, and if he could take more of his that would help me out a bunch cause thats whats holding me back on agreeing. I like being wrong its all good. =-)
 

David Burns

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Hello Folks
He wasn't a tarantula guy, and got this particular T as part of a trade.
This info makes me think it would be more of a common/cheap species then a Sericopelma sp.. Sometimes larger species are refered to as "goliath" although this cannot be used as a good indicator since alot of new world Ts hold this moniker.
 

P. Novak

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This info makes me think it would be more of a common/cheap species then a Sericopelma sp.. Sometimes larger species are refered to as "goliath" although this cannot be used as a good indicator since alot of new world Ts hold this moniker.
I don't think it really matters, Sericopelma rubronitens aren't that hard to come by anymore. There are a couple people selling them now, and I see atleast one every other day.
 

David Burns

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I don't think it really matters, Sericopelma rubronitens aren't that hard to come by anymore. There are a couple people selling them now, and I see atleast one every other day.
That may be so in your area. I just checked all the arachnodealer sites in N.America and could only find some species of this Genus in Canada and they were selling for over $100 for tiny slings. I am not saying I am right. I just don't see them as common yet.
 

Talkenlate04

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That may be so in your area. I just checked all the arachnodealer sites in N.America and could only find some species of this Genus in Canada and they were selling for over $100 for tiny slings. I am not saying I am right. I just don't see them as common yet.
I was just doing the same thing and finding the same thing. Slings for an arm and a pinky toe. {D
 

ShadowBlade

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ID'ing from pics is nigh impossible. ID'ing from pics by comparing to other pics.. pointless. Color variation between individual specimens is FAR too great.

My bet is on S. rubronitens, and it does not look like a brachy. But thats all one can say.

BTW: S. rubronitens were recently selling for like $100 adult female.

-Sean
 

monkeywrench133

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monkeywrench133 is it greyish or brownish under normal lighting?

from the pictures i agree with Novak.

The main body, and first leg segments are black, a very velvety black. Past the first segment, the legs are greyish. No brown at all. The abdomen is also black under those red hairs.

As far as cost, the guy I got it from is a tort/turtle breeder/wholesaler who wouldn't give retail price for a pint of blood to save his mother, so that would be a hard standard to use. LOL!

Compairing photos, it looks exactly like the pics posted by talkenlate04, right down to the reddish hairs on the edges of the cephelothorax (probably spelled that wrong). What species is that?
 
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