What is your most visually appealing Tarantula?

[Stu Macher]

I've seen threads on AB asking for most defensive, favorite sp, etc. All good threads that I've enjoyed reading through. What got me into the hobby was how beautiful T's are.

It can be from your own personal collection or a Tarantula on your wishlist.

 

[Fini]

Thats a tough one. Top three?
Grammostola Pulchra (that deep black velvet)
Pamphobeteus c.f. insignis
Avicularia purpurea

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Lasiodora difficilis perhaps ???

 

[viper69]

There’s quite a few

 

[Stu Macher]

There’s quite a few

Top 3 in your case. I'm guessing an H chilensis has to be in there

 

[Stu Macher]

Thats a tough one. Top three?
Grammostola Pulchra (that deep black velvet)
Pamphobeteus c.f. insignis
Avicularia purpurea

My G pulchra just molted. You're not kidding. I can't even imagine what she's gonna look like 5 years down the road

 

[viper69]

Top 3 in your case. I'm guessing an H chilensis has to be in there

All pretty for different reasons

 

[CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy]

The three current queens of my collection size-wise have to take the title in terms of visual impact:

Embers on Satin

• CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy
• Aug 12, 2024
• 5
• auratum b. auratum brachypelma brachypelma auratum flame knee flameknee mexican flameknee tarantula theraphosinae

Though my P. ornata Sriyani has her beat out in legspan, in terms of mass it’s actually this...

Queen’s New Garb

• CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy
• Aug 12, 2024
• 7
• adult female fringed ornamental tarantula p. ornata poecilotheria poecilotheria ornata

Of the 5 different ornata that have been in my collection (4 of them being part of it now)...

The Black Queen

• CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy
• Aug 11, 2024
• 2
• cyriopagopus cyriopagopus doriae doriae female kalimantan orange fringe tarantula ornithoctoninae

One of the biggest Ts in my collection now. A big WC import of these came in late last year and...

However, there are a bunch of other contenders for the title in terms of overall looks, like Ampha (my AF C. lividus) and Aranya (AF C. natanicharum). And that’s before you get into the fact I have a number of Ts that are still growing up that could easily take over from them once they fully colour up.

Anihan (SAF Ornithoctoninae sp. “Haribon”) was quite the stunner while she was alive.

 

[Stu Macher]

The three current queens of my collection size-wise have to take the title in terms of visual impact:

Embers on Satin

• CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy
• Aug 12, 2024
• 5
• auratum b. auratum brachypelma brachypelma auratum flame knee flameknee mexican flameknee tarantula theraphosinae

Though my P. ornata Sriyani has her beat out in legspan, in terms of mass it’s actually this...

Queen’s New Garb

• CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy
• Aug 12, 2024
• 7
• adult female fringed ornamental tarantula p. ornata poecilotheria poecilotheria ornata

Of the 5 different ornata that have been in my collection (4 of them being part of it now)...

The Black Queen

• CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy
• Aug 11, 2024
• 2
• cyriopagopus cyriopagopus doriae doriae female kalimantan orange fringe tarantula ornithoctoninae

One of the biggest Ts in my collection now. A big WC import of these came in late last year and...

However, there are a bunch of other contenders for the title in terms of overall looks, like Ampha (my AF C. lividus) and Aranya (AF C. natanicharum). And that’s before you get into the fact I have a number of Ts that are still growing up that could easily take over from them once they fully colour up.

Anihan (SAF Ornithoctoninae sp. “Haribon”) was quite the stunner while she was alive.
Anihan (SAF Ornithoctoninae sp. “Haribon”) was quite the stunner while she was alive.

Stunners. As cliche as it may be. I have to say P metallica for me lol. Poeciletheria in general blows me away

 

[ladyratri]

This girl, with her glorious toes.



And also, this girl, both in her adorable baby stripes and her grown-up purple.

 

[Tbone192]

Rufous, P rufilata, before and after he matured. He always looks so photogenic.


Laranja, OBT - RCF, most beautiful MF I own, IMO. Colour is wild and those patterns make my brain .


Felipe - T sp. Cuzco, Peruvian Royalty T. That has to be one of my favourite common names, and their appearance certainly calls for it. Mine just molted a day or two ago and is bright blue with coppery bits.


Splendor, H pulchripes. Need I say more?

These are all 1.5" or smaller so I don't have many pics.
Phormingochilus sp. Rufus
Ornithoctonus aureotibialis
Ornithoctonus costalis - deceased
Omothymus schioedtei
Omothymus violaceopes
O sp. Hati Hati

On my list:
O sp. Hon Sej
O sp. Vietnam silver
O sp. Ho Chi Minh
O sp. Phan Cay Red

As you can see, there is a loose theme...

 

[kingshockey]

as of now gotta say my b hamorii its the largest/oldest of my slow growing ts

 

[l4nsky]

Lol I can't even give a top three.

 

[corydalis]

I could easily pick all of my other Ts too, they are all special to me.

 

[Stu Macher]

Lol I can't even give a top three.

How about this. Is there 1 T in your collection or (was) that motivated you to expand your collection?

 

[CrazyOrnithoctonineGuy]

Lol I can't even give a top three.

TBH same here. So many Asian arboreals…

 

[The Spider House]

Those who read my lyrical waxings will know what's coming.....

Acanthoscurria geniculata and especially my queen, 'Genie' who sadly passed away a couple of years ago now. 20+ years she was with me and she was just simply the best. 🤍

 

[l4nsky]

How about this. Is there 1 T in your collection or (was) that motivated you to expand your collection?

Lol it's probably easier to try and answer your first question. Most first specimens from a genus prompt me to get more species from said genus lol.

Fortunately, I have a lot of different flavors of eye candy in my collection.

0.1 Phormingochilus sp. Sabah Dwarf

• l4nsky
• Jun 5, 2024
• 5
• mature female phormingochilus phormingochilus sp sabah dwarf sabah dwarf

Undescribed species reportedly hailing from the coastal lowland rainforests of Sabah state...

Ornithoctoninae sp. Vietnam Silver

• l4nsky
• Mar 14, 2024
• 8
• ornithoctoninae silver sp. vietnam silver vietnam

Unsexed juvenile about 2.5" DLS, undescribed species from Vietnam. Recently molted and feeding...

0.1 Phormingochilus sp. Akcaya

• l4nsky
• Mar 20, 2024
• 8
• akcaya female mature phormingochilus phormingochilus sp akcaya

Undescribed species from West Kalimantan province, Indonesia on the island of Borneo. Proven female

0.1 Phormingochilus sp. Sabah Blue

• l4nsky
• Nov 19, 2023
• 1
• female mature phormingochilus phormingochilus sp sabah blue sabah blue

Undescribed species hailing from the lowland rainforests of Sabah state, Malaysia. Proven female.

0.1 Ornithoctoninae sp. Ho Chi Minh DCF

• l4nsky
• Sep 18, 2023
• 4
• dcf female ornithoctoninae ornithoctoninae sp. "ho chi minh"

Undescribed fossorial species believed to be from central Vietnam, mature female doing her best...

1.0 Avicularia variegata

• l4nsky
• May 24, 2023
• 9
• avicularia avicularia variegata immature male variegata

Immature male going on an impromptu stroll around the safety tote. By far, the most gorgeous...

0.1 Aphonopelma sp. nov

• l4nsky
• May 13, 2023
• 5
• aphonopelma dwarf female

Undescribed dwarf Aphonopelma sp from the Chiricahua Mountains, subadult female, freshly molted.

0.1 Aphonopelma sp Dragoons

• l4nsky
• Jan 18, 2023
• 7
• aphonopelma dragoons dwarf female mature female

Undescribed dwarf Aphonopelma sp from the Dragoon Mountains, mature female

 

[NMTs]

Like everyone else, I don't really think I could pick a top 3. There are a few that stand out, though...

0.1 Caribena versicolor - 5" DLS

• NMTs
• Aug 19, 2024
• 1
• adult female caribena caribena versicolor versicolor

Fresh, new outfit for this girl.

0.1 Neischnocolus sp. Panama - 2.25" DLS

• NMTs
• Jul 6, 2024
• 5
• ami sp. "panama" gold banded sunburst dwarf neischnocolus neischnocolus sp. "panama"

She's awesome.

0.2 Hapalopus vangoghi - 3.25" & 1.25" DLS

• NMTs
• Jul 6, 2024
• female hapalopus hapalopus vangoghi sp. guerilla speckle patch

Big and little (the inset is the small one)! A side-by-side look at my 2 females shows how...

0.1 Psalmopoeus victori feeding time...

• NMTs
• Jul 21, 2024
• 5
• feeding female psalmopoeus psalmopoeus victori victori

It's times like this that I'm really happy I'm not a roach...

0.0.1 Haploclastus sp. Khali - 3" DLS

• NMTs
• Mar 4, 2024
• 2
• haploclastus haploclastus sp. khali juvenile khali

Unsexed, but suspected female. Builds a turret that it hunts from, but otherwise never comes...

T. sp. yasumi vs. T. sp. Colombia

• NMTs
• Jun 23, 2024
• 6
• theraphosidae theraphosidae sp. "kolumbia" theraphosidae sp. yasumi

Out of curiosity, here's a very unscientific comparison of 0.0.1 Theraphosidae sp. yasumi...

0.1 Avicularia minatrix - 2.25" DLS

• NMTs
• Jul 29, 2024
• 8
• avic avicularia avicularia minatrix dwarf pinktoe minatrix red slate pinktoe

One month post-molt, she's a beauty.

0.1 Phormingochilus sp. Sabah Red -

• NMTs
• Aug 12, 2024
• 1
• phormingochilus phormingochilus sp sabah red sabah red threat pose

She's very mad...

@l4nsky

0.1 Encyocratella olivacea - 4.75" DLS

• NMTs
• May 14, 2024
• 2
• encyocratella encyocratella olivacea juvenile female olivacea tanzanian black and olive baboon tarantula

Such a unique looking species, very skittish and fast. Their colors change dramatically...

 

[jrh3]

I've seen threads on AB asking for most defensive, favorite sp, etc. All good threads that I've enjoyed reading through. What got me into the hobby was how beautiful T's are.

It can be from your own personal collection or a Tarantula on your wishlist.

I would say, psalmopoeus pulcher.
Edit… psalmopoeus sp. black has now moved into 1st spot, pulcher will be second.