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I love that genus too, as you already know it. I have P platus, and it seems to me it's very close to P auratus (not similar location, but same colors). Mine is really stunning, not only because of the bronze/golden cephalo, but also with dark legs with almost blue glints (at least with a flashlight!). She is always hungry, ready to run after her preys with determination, is always out of the burrow (well, almost, now she's inside preparing her molt), and moves enough to attract interest. I'm currently waiting on three slings sp. green, they should arrive in the very next weeks... A friend of mine has a huge female P cancerides and I was impressed to see she really has purple/reddish marks on the prosoma + femurs, that can be seen even without a light. Subtle, but true. Beautiful look, if I had more room, I'd take one too.

I believe that these Phormictopus (specially the cancerides, which has been in the hobby for a very long time) were a little bit despised because they were very common and hardy. Like: "a plain brown tarantula, well... no..." But, first, they aren't only plain brown: little touches of different colors are also here for the females (males are more colorful, as have been said); as Tom has stated, they change with the different molts, which is very cool; and, they aren't so common nowadays. And anyway who cares about them being common? For instance: I find my G rosea beautiful and don't need to wait until they become rarer and more fashionable to love her.

For me, Phormictopus are truly loved by the gourmet hidden in the hobbyist.