What species of Amblypygid have I bought?

[Elisha Bosch]

I found this little guy at a small petstore. The owner had no idea and just said it was a Whip Spider. This is my first Invertebrate and I don't have much experience identifying them.

 

[pannaking22]

Welcome to the forum! It's one of the west African Damon, likely Damon medius.

 

[Elisha Bosch]

Welcome to the forum! It's one of the west African Damon, likely Damon medius.

Thank you so much

 

[The Seraph]

Here is a thread detailing their care in case you need it.
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/damon-medius-starting-enclosure-qs.312061/

 

[Elisha Bosch]

Wow thanks! So if I'm right you tell males from females by the length of the front arms compared to the first segment of the first pair of legs. Correct? Is this one to young to sex? They only had it at the store for a week or two and had literally no information on it.

 

[JAFUENTES]

Wow thanks! So if I'm right you tell males from females by the length of the front arms compared to the first segment of the first pair of legs. Correct? Is this one to young to sex? They only had it at the store for a week or two and had literally no information on it.

It's male. The pedipalps are in line with the "elbow" of the feelers roughly, same with legs, and this link should help. Male is the top and female is bottom
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjch8XO1-jeAhWL44MKHSNEDPIQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http://www.jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk/meet-the-tailless-whip-scorpions.html&psig=AOvVaw0uwwWM3hpYAV3VFW6THJaZ&ust=1542999606992223

 

[Elisha Bosch]

It's male. The pedipalps are in line with the "elbow" of the feelers roughly, same with legs, and this link should help. Male is the top and female is bottom
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjch8XO1-jeAhWL44MKHSNEDPIQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=http://www.jonathansjungleroadshow.co.uk/meet-the-tailless-whip-scorpions.html&psig=AOvVaw0uwwWM3hpYAV3VFW6THJaZ&ust=1542999606992223

Thank you! I will name him Jeremy.

 

[JAFUENTES]

Thank you! I will name him Jeremy.

Noice

 

[aphono]

The linked page covers D. diadema. The pedipalp sexual dimorphism is reliable for this species.

However it does not seem as reliable for D. medius, which is what the OP has. I've had two egg carrying individuals with pedipalps past the leg joints, observed one other plus a few persons made similar comments.

To get better idea of sex, check the genital shield. Females have a trapezoid pattern, males have a Y or somewhat of a heart shape. Unfortunately it's not easily seen most of the time without handling.

 

[Elisha Bosch]

The linked page covers D. diadema. The pedipalp sexual dimorphism is reliable for this species.

However it does not seem as reliable for D. medius, which is what the OP has. I've had two egg carrying individuals with pedipalps past the leg joints, observed one other plus a few persons made similar comments.

To get better idea of sex, check the genital shield. Females have a trapezoid pattern, males have a Y or somewhat of a heart shape. Unfortunately it's not easily seen most of the time without handling.

Oh wow awesome I appreciatte it! What kind of setup do you keep yours in if you don't mind me asking?

 

[aphono]

Oh wow awesome I appreciatte it! What kind of setup do you keep yours in if you don't mind me asking?

Very high humidity. If you see it on the substrate, it's too dry. Some are in tall glass reptile tanks with a flat cork bark tile(for terrarium backgrounds) leaned over, the smaller ones are in Rubbermaid tall cereal type containers with styrofoam. Have 6 medius plus bunch of other species so that was for convenience- cork bark is expensive! Recommend staying away from other types of wood as most will mold very fast in humid setups.

Recently saw this video using thick dark cork bark tiles for general home/office use- time stamp at 10:45. Looks a little more decent than plain styrofoam(also shown earlier in same video). I'm going to try that with a couple set ups and see how that goes.

If your enclosure is glass and in a room with a lot of light, I recommend making a dark, more confined space where it can retreat to. It might hide all the time but it eventually should become more visible later on. One of the medius is in my living room has a cork half round that's more pressed close together than open. She's out in the room light all the time now- picture below is of her in open view with room light on.

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Springtails and dwarf isopods could be your friends. They help keep the mold down and clean up the leftovers.