Xenesthis Confusion!!!

[EnigmaNyx]

Hello friends! I was hoping to receive some clarification!

I would love to add a Xenesthis species to my collection at some point, maybe soon. However, I'm having concerns with trying to find pictures of each species. I wanted to start a thread, hopefully helping folks in the future for identification, and put this link in my signature if it works out well. I'm sure others have questions on what the different Xen species look like, and when I google the images they all look the same so I don't believe it.

Soooooo I was thinking we could start this thread and those that are well-versed/own/take pictures of etc etc, the different Xen species, posting pics and corresponding names to what you post in order to clarify what each look like. If I'm going to drop big money on a sling, I'd like to know what it looks like lol.

Thanks in advanced to all that help out!!

 

[Rigor Mortis]

If we had a salute emote I'd be using it right now. Far as I understand the Xenesthis genus is a certifiable pigsty and no one's bothered to take a crack at revising it or generally making decent sense of it. I await keeper experience photos/descriptions of species though.

 

[EnigmaNyx]

If we had a salute emote I'd be using it right now. Far as I understand the Xenesthis genus is a certifiable pigsty and no one's bothered to take a crack at revising it or generally making decent sense of it. I await keeper experience photos/descriptions of species though.

I'm greatly tempted to scour the pictures topic and find the few pics/species there and start posting responsed to myself lol. This might be my AB calling lol

 

[Rigor Mortis]

I'm greatly tempted to scour the pictures topic and find the few pics/species there and start posting responsed to myself lol. This might be my AB calling lol

What a way to spend your Monday!

 

[scooter1685]

I could be mistaken, but I thought many members of the Xenesthis genus haven't yet been identified as distinct species. Many have been labeled as something potentially distinct after someone observed a difference in size or color, or when individuals were collected from different localities and labeled distinctly because those differences could indicate a different species. That's why they're labeled as "Xenesthis sp." For example, Xenesthis sp. Bright, Xenesthis sp. White, and Xenesthis sp. Tenebris as opposed to Xenesthis immanis.

Generally, in biology, the abbreviation sp. is used when a specific name hasn't been given yet or when an individual hasn't yet been described by science. So Canis sp. would refer to a species of canine, or Canis spp. would refer to multiple species of canine.

 

[EnigmaNyx]

i agree, but if they're being sold as sp. xxx, i'd like to be able to see what they're describing. at this point it's like a mystery pull, because so few people know what each sp. looks like.

I just want a general idea, obviously this thread would be subject to change, but at least it'd be a start.

 

[scooter1685]

This is probably not new information, but Fear Not Tarantulas has pictures of several Xenesthis sp. in their listings. They do look pretty similar, so I don't know how useful they'll be in shedding light on why they're labeled as potentially distinct species or variants. It's a good question really, didn't mean to denigrate or anything. Just pointing out that some of them could be different regional variants of the same species, like the Ometepe Island locality of Tliltocatl albopilosum.

I am also interested in learning why some of them are labeled the way they are. Perhaps someone who's done a little more research into the genus can explain what they've found.

 

[EnigmaNyx]

This is probably not new information, but Fear Not Tarantulas has pictures of several Xenesthis sp. in their listings. They do look pretty similar, so I don't know how useful they'll be in shedding light on why they're labeled as potentially distinct species or variants. It's a good question really, didn't mean to denigrate or anything. Just pointing out that some of them could be different regional variants of the same species, like the Ometepe Island locality of Tliltocatl albopilosum.

I am also interested in learning why some of them are labeled the way they are. Perhaps someone who's done a little more research into the genus can explain what they've found.

I agree, and I've seen a few on there for sure. I think getting some sort of focal point to have a "guide to xens" would be neat. I just posted a call for help for those that keep xens and/or take photos of them. I'd love to get some really nice pics in there so we could have that resource all in one place!