Wild tarantula roaming

[Aquarimax]

This beauty is the second tarantula I’ve ever seen wild...this was near the mouth of a canyon along the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. Time was between 7 and 8 pm, Sept. 13th. The creature remained quite still while we observed and photographed it. I hear it’s the time of year when mature males are out looking for a lady friend...
From what I gather, this is an Aphonopelma sp., possibly A. iodius?

 

[Teal]

What a handsome dude! Aphonopelma are all we have in the US, but species is harder to narrow down. Mature male colouration can GREATLY vary between individuals, but the MM A. iodius I have seen in the wild (dozens and dozens) have been darker and never had a light carapace.

Congratulations on the find!

 

[Dovey]

Could be a chalcodes. I'm not sure what their northern extreme of range is, but it looks like one. MMs lose the blond on their legs and have that bright copper carapace. It's a beauty, whatever it is!

 

[Aquarimax]

What a handsome dude! Aphonopelma are all we have in the US, but species is harder to narrow down. Mature male colouration can GREATLY vary between individuals, but the MM A. iodius I have seen in the wild (dozens and dozens) have been darker and never had a light carapace.

Congratulations on the find!

Thank you! Tarantulas are one of the few taxa my wife has asked me not to keep, but it was fun observing this one in the wild. Even she was ok with seeing it.

 

[Aquarimax]

Could be a chalcodes. I'm not sure what their northern extreme of range is, but it looks like one. MMs lose the blond on their legs and have that bright copper carapace. It's a beauty, whatever it is!

That makes sense....I will look up that species, thank you!