Josh's Frogs' Tarantula Photo Thread

[Josh's Frogs]

There has been a lot of restructuring of the spider known as Avicularia avicularia. The Tarantula that has always been known as the Common Pink Toe was dubbed Avicularia avicularia Morphotype One. As an adult, it is typically so dark blue as to appear nearly black. This species has a broad natural range, from Guyana to Suriname. While there is a typical look for Common Pink Toes, there is a group form Northern Guyana that retain spectacular blue color, throughout their lives. These have been termed, “The North Guyana Blue Pink Toe” but are still scientifically known as Avicularia avicularia Morphotype One. Here we see a couple of excellent examples of adult female North Guyana Blues that we keep here at Josh's Frogs.

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Trinidad Olive Tarantulas (Neoholothele incei) are a tarantula species with some uncommon qualities. Two qualities that you do not often see in tarantulas are 1) being are shades of green and 2)being able to live with their own kind. While it is most prominent when it is a spiderling, Trinidad Olives maintain an emerald sheen throughout their lives. Here you can see a picture of one as a spiderling and another as a mature female. They also come in a gold form. Trinidad Olive Tarantulas have been successfully kept in colonies of 20+ spiders, all living together. One should be cautious when attempting to keep even communal tarantulas together. There are some species that tend to coexist peacefully, as long as nothing goes wrong. However, if anything does go wrong, the results are usually fatal.

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Brazilian Blue tarantula This species is commonly called the Brazilian Blue Tarantula. Its scientific name was recently changed to Lasiocyano sazimai. Scientific names are often patterned after Latin. This species name, translated from Latin, means Sazima’s Hairy Blue tarantula. Lasio-(hairy)-cyano-(blue) sazimai (belonging to sazima). This species was given its species epithet, sazimai, in honor of Dr. Ivan Sazima. He was a Brazilian scientist who collected the first examples of this species. Looking at this species, it definitely earns the name, Sazima’s Hairy Blue Tarantula!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Pamphobeteus mature males are gorgeous! In most tarantula species, once a male molts out as mature, they often become straw color or drab. This is wise camouflage for males that are venturing out into the world for the first time since they left their eggsac. In many of the species of tarantulas that are in the Genus Pamphobeteus, the males don't do it like that. Instead, they opt for Vegas style fabulous! Their femurs, patellas, and tibias (the first three top visible leg segments coming out from the body) turn metallic blues, purples or pinks! Their carapace (top of their “head”) turns jet black with the same metallic color making a pattern striating out from the center. The pattern over the eyes make an arrow shape pointing toward the center. Many predators do not see well on the extreme blue end of the spectrum. Tarantulas, however, do. These electric colors created by refracting scales make them stand out to potential mates but not so much potential predators. Clever! Here is a Pamphobeteus Sp. ‘Machala’ mature male. In the next frame, compare him to his stockier, drab colored mate.

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Psalmopoeus pulcher is also known as the Panamanian Blonde Tarantula. Just as each breed of dog is generally known to have typical dispositions, so too do tarantulas. Psalmopoeus pulcher is known to be a very defensive species with a quick temper! The funny thing is that their scientific name translates roughly from the Latin as, “Beautiful poetic song”. Yeah, maybe if that beautiful poetic song was a terrifying battle hymn! It is an extremely pretty spider, though!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Stegodyphus dufouri is also known as the Egyptian Pink Velvet Spider. This tiny beauty can be found throughout North and West Africa, including Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia. I love the way that the pattern above their eyes makes them look like they are sorry about something. It’s as if they approach their prey and say, “I’m sorry, but I’m going to eat you now”.

 

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Make Your Bed! Some tarantula species love to make their bed, literally! While some species of spider use their silk to catch their prey, tarantulas use theirs for home making and an early warning system. Here you can see three species doing just that. Here we have the Entre Rios tarantula (Grammostola iheringi), the Green Bottle Blue (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens), and the Rear Horned Baboon Tarantula (Caratogyrus darlingi) keeping a tidy and tight home!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

The itsy bitsy spider!! Different species of tarantulas start out as spiderlings at various sizes. In general, species that have a greater number of eggs have smaller spiderlings. Species like the Salmon Pink Bird Eater and the Brazilian Red and White can have upwards of 2,000 eggs, but they start out as small as BBs! Also, smaller species have smaller spiderlings. Here we have a Brazilian Dwarf Pink Leg Tarantula (dwarf species), a Mexican Giant Orange Knee (250+ babies), Golden Blue Leg Baboon (smaller species), and Venezuelan Dwarf Beauty (dwarf species). We feed these spiders our smaller species of flightless fruit flies (drosophila melanogaster).

 

[Josh's Frogs]

This is Princess Buttercup, a King Baboon Tarantula that lives at Josh’s Frogs. This species' scientific name, “Pelenobius muticus" translates to “Silent Silk Dweller”. Pelin-(thread" or yarn) -obius(life or way of life) possibly referring to the tarantula's heavily silk lined burrows. Muticus is Latin, meaning "muted" or "silent". This is a curious choice as this tarantula is known for stridulating (making a hissing noise by rubbing body parts together) when threatened. This species is known for the females having larger, thicker back (pair number four) legs. I always thought that they reminded me of Moon Boots from the 80’s!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

The Colombian Dwarf Blue Bottle Tarantula is known scientifically as Pseudhapalopus sp. 'Blue'. This species was only fairly recently discovered in 2014. Its discovery led to the discovery of quite a few, very exciting Colombian Tarantulas. These tiny gems rarely grow over three inches in diagonal leg span. This species is known for the brilliant, iridescent blues that it will be nearly covered in as adults. This individual is barely an inch and a half and is just starting to grow into its amazing adult colors.

 

[Josh's Frogs]

One of the largest spiders in the world is the Salmon Pink Birdeater, known scientifically as Lasiodora parahybana. While this spider can achieve leg spans of 10+ inches, nothing about its common name could be called Truth in Advertising. No Salmon, no Pink, and it is not likely that they would ever eat a bird in the wild. This is Judge Judy. She is here as a mascot in the Arachnid Division of Josh’s Frogs. She is not on the breeder team because her kind have 1,500 to 3,000 babies at a time!!! We are not planning on caring for that many babies of the same species ever again!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

The Guatemalan Red Rump Tarantula is known scientifically as Tliltocatl sabulosum. This species was first described in 1897 as Eurypelma sabulosum. Later, in 1989, it was moved to the genus Brachypelma, and finally, in 2020, it was formally placed into the newly established genus Tliltocatl. It has been known as the Guatemalan Red Rump Tarantula that entire time. I guess, Common Names for the win this time? ‍

 

[Josh's Frogs]

A Giant Dwarf? No, I am not talking about Peter Dinklage’s character, Eitri, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe! I am talking about the largest of the genus Cyriocosmus, the Giant Dwarf Tarantula (Cyriocosmus giganteus) from Peruvian Amazon Rainforest. Most species from that genus do not get over 2 inches. This species greatly out masses their relatives at a diminutive three to three and a half inches. Here we have one of the new spiderlings that I am very excited to work with!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

The Sulawesi Black Tarantula, known scientifically as Lampropelma carpenteri, is an old growth forest tree dweller from Sulawesi, Indonesia. The only thing more impressive than these spiders’ beautiful shades of jet black and shiny velvet gray is their potential 9 inch leg span, making it one of the largest of the Old World Arboreal Tarantulas.

 

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The Blue Fang Skeleton tarantula is known scientifically as Ephebopus cyanognathus. This is a somewhat smaller tarantula from French Guiana that rarely gets much over three inches in diagonal leg span. This species tends to have a shiny metallic golden-green and auburn sheen when it is young. While that will fade as it grows, those electric blue fangs and gold bands at the knees stick with the spider into maturity. This extensive webber spends most of its time in a complex array of underground silken webs. For that reason, for all of its beauty, it is known as kind of a pet hole.

 

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The scientific name of the Feather Leg Baboon tarantula Stromatopelma calceatum has both Greek and Latin roots . “Stromatopelma" is derived from the Greek words "stroma" (tapestry or web) and "pelma" (sole or foot). This might refer to this species’ heavy webbing that can be found within their habitats and to the shaggy appearance of its feet. The species epithet, “calceatum” (booted or wearing shoes) which likely refers to the long, shaggy looking hairs (setae) found on the last leg segments of this species. The common name, "Featherleg Baboon," further reinforces this description.

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Gummy, ghosty spiderlings! Immediately after baby tarantulas molt, for a very short period of time, they have a very unusual look. When they first crawl out of their old exoskeleton, their new exoskeleton is soft and pale, giving them a “gummy, ghosty” look. As their new exoskeleton reacts to oxygen (or sclerotizes), it darkens and hardens and they return to their typical look. That leaves a fairly short window that you could discover your baby tarantula to be in its “gummy, ghosty” stage and see them with this unusual look. Here we see a juvenile Socotra Island Blue Baboon (Monocentropus balfouri). To me it feels like finding a Pokémon that is only temporarily a shiny!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Pamphobeteus Sp. 'Platyomma' is commonly known as the Ecuadorian Pink Bloom Tarantula. While this species has been referred to as the Brazilian Pink Bloom, it is from Ecuador, not Brazil. The species epithet,”Platyomma’ comes from the Greek roots "Platy-" (flat) and "-omma"(eye). This refers to this species’ wide eyed appearance. When they are young, this species sports a pretty “Christmas Tree" pattern on its abdomen.

 

[Josh's Frogs]

Thrigmopoeus truculentus is commonly known as the Lesser Goa Mustard Tarantula. They get their common name from three different factors. “Lesser” (smaller of the tarantulas from their area) “Goa” (a state in India) and “Mustard” (refers to the mustard brown coloration of adults). Thrigmopoeus truculentus has the ability to stridulate (make hissing noises by rubbing its legs together) when it feels threatened. This spiderling still has its baby colors which are a shiny, olive brown. They may not be the most colorful spider in the world, but hey make up for it with that handsome pattern!

 

[Josh's Frogs]

When arboreal tarantulas pair for breeding, the male comes up from below and lifts the female up to access her epigastric furrow. When Pink Toe species do this, the female will just absolutely drape more than half of her body across the male that is trying to hold her up. This always made me think of Ballet dancers when the male dancer lifts the female up over his head! What do you think when you see this pose?