B. Smithi

[ReeceJones]

Young juvenile B. Smithi

 

[AceTRetreat]

Looks to be a B. hamorii based on new taxonomy to me .. but I am not an expert

 

[sschind]

Please forgive me as I am sure this has been discussed at length but I can't find the thread on this site. My understanding of the whole name change is simply this and I welcome any corrections.

B. smithi, B. hamorii and B. annitha were all names recently used in taxonomy

Most spiders that were commonly called B. smithi were actually B hamorii

The spiders that actually were B smithi are now called or actually were B annitha

B smithi should no longer be used as it is no longer a valid name for any tarantula.

So what this means to the casual T keeper is that if you bought a tarantula under the name B. smithi in the past it is likely a B hamorii and If you bought a tarantula under the name B annitha it actually is a B annitha although it is possible that the B smithi you bought is actually a B annitha.

At the last swap I labeled my spiders as B hamorii (ex smithi) but I am thinking that the longer we keep using the name smithi the longer the confusion will exist. I know in speech its difficult to change (Green tree python keepers still use the term "chondro" short for chondropython instead of the new name Morelia, elaphe instead of pantherophis, bufo instead of anaxyrus etc. but these are genus names and in most instance the specific epithet of the species hasn't changed) Is it better to rip the band aid off or pull it gently?

Any link to a discussion on this would be greatly appreciated as I do not want to continue adding to the confusion. I realize that most keepers are not scientists and few will be breeding so maybe its a bigger deal than it really is but I do want to be as accurate as possible.

Lastly, regarding common name (I know we all just love them.) Does the name Mexican Red Knee stay with the B hamorii or does it go with the annitha

 

[Arachnoclown]

Please forgive me as I am sure this has been discussed at length but I can't find the thread on this site. My understanding of the whole name change is simply this and I welcome any corrections.

B. smithi, B. hamorii and B. annitha were all names recently used in taxonomy

Most spiders that were commonly called B. smithi were actually B hamorii

The spiders that actually were B smithi are now called or actually were B annitha

B smithi should no longer be used as it is no longer a valid name for any tarantula.

So what this means to the casual T keeper is that if you bought a tarantula under the name B. smithi in the past it is likely a B hamorii and If you bought a tarantula under the name B annitha it actually is a B annitha although it is possible that the B smithi you bought is actually a B annitha.

At the last swap I labeled my spiders as B hamorii (ex smithi) but I am thinking that the longer we keep using the name smithi the longer the confusion will exist. I know in speech its difficult to change (Green tree python keepers still use the term "chondro" short for chondropython instead of the new name Morelia, elaphe instead of pantherophis, bufo instead of anaxyrus etc. but these are genus names and in most instance the specific epithet of the species hasn't changed) Is it better to rip the band aid off or pull it gently?

Any link to a discussion on this would be greatly appreciated as I do not want to continue adding to the confusion. I realize that most keepers are not scientists and few will be breeding so maybe its a bigger deal than it really is but I do want to be as accurate as possible.

Lastly, regarding common name (I know we all just love them.) Does the name Mexican Red Knee stay with the B hamorii or does it go with the annitha

 

[sschind]

Thanks so much for the video. It explains everything very well

 

[Mr. P]

Please watch the video posted as B. smithi most certainly does exist.

 

[sschind]

Please watch the video posted as B. smithi most certainly does exist.

I did indeed watch teh video. it was very well done.

So I shouldn't just start relabeling all my B. smithi as B. hamorii which is what I was led to believe I needed to do. They may in fact be B. smithi.

 

[ReeceJones]

Please forgive me as I am sure this has been discussed at length but I can't find the thread on this site. My understanding of the whole name change is simply this and I welcome any corrections.

B. smithi, B. hamorii and B. annitha were all names recently used in taxonomy

Most spiders that were commonly called B. smithi were actually B hamorii

The spiders that actually were B smithi are now called or actually were B annitha

B smithi should no longer be used as it is no longer a valid name for any tarantula.

So what this means to the casual T keeper is that if you bought a tarantula under the name B. smithi in the past it is likely a B hamorii and If you bought a tarantula under the name B annitha it actually is a B annitha although it is possible that the B smithi you bought is actually a B annitha.

At the last swap I labeled my spiders as B hamorii (ex smithi) but I am thinking that the longer we keep using the name smithi the longer the confusion will exist. I know in speech its difficult to change (Green tree python keepers still use the term "chondro" short for chondropython instead of the new name Morelia, elaphe instead of pantherophis, bufo instead of anaxyrus etc. but these are genus names and in most instance the specific epithet of the species hasn't changed) Is it better to rip the band aid off or pull it gently?

Any link to a discussion on this would be greatly appreciated as I do not want to continue adding to the confusion. I realize that most keepers are not scientists and few will be breeding so maybe its a bigger deal than it really is but I do want to be as accurate as possible.

Lastly, regarding common name (I know we all just love them.) Does the name Mexican Red Knee stay with the B hamorii or does it go with the annitha

thanks for the reply. When i bought the B. Hamorii before i knew about the name change, however i do now call this species hamorii not smithi. Just thought id reply

 

[Whitelightning777]

Scientific names aren't always as stable as common names after all. If someone says Mexican red knee, we all know which one that is.

That's why it's best to know both to of names, twice the work but worth it.

 

[MassExodus]

Scientific names aren't always as stable as common names after all. If someone says Mexican red knee, we all know which one that is.

That's why it's best to know both to of names, twice the work but worth it.

I wouldnt say that..common names are still useless. Imo

 

[MassExodus]

I wonder what the ratio is as far as the hobby? Most are hamorii? Very few smithi?

 

[Whitelightning777]

I wonder what the ratio is as far as the hobby? Most are hamorii? Very few smithi?

God only knows.

I've heard the explanations but still can't tell the difference. The name change was to expand a nature preserve to the other side of a river by claiming that 2 species existed one on each side.

 

[sschind]

Scientific names aren't always as stable as common names after all. If someone says Mexican red knee, we all know which one that is.

That's why it's best to know both to of names, twice the work but worth it.

Which one? The first time someone attached the name Mexican red knee were they looking at a smithi or a hamorii?

The way it is still used I would assume hamorii but as we have seen many people still don't know how to use either name (common or scientific) correctly.

While I don't consider them as useless as MassExodus does I think they should be used together in most cases