Are you a Tarantula hobbyist? If so, we invite you to join our community! Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your pets and enclosures and chat with other Tarantula enthusiasts. Sign up today!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Josh's Frogs" data-source="post: 240151" data-attributes="member: 49228">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.[ATTACH=full]76766[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]76767[/ATTACH]</blockquote>