Evolutionary split.

[Mike Shaw]

I was just thinking about p.murinus and behavioural differences between the 2 colour forms.
I was wondering if somehow the TCF and the RCF are maybe taking differnt paths.
from what I've read the RCF seem to tend toward being arboreal.
Of course this is all conjecture but hey you never know.
Maybe in a few thousand years RCF may become totally arboreal.
Anyway I have just recieved 2 of each colour forms,they are about 20mm.
So i shall study their behaviour and see if they to differ or lean towards arboreal.
I would appreciate any thoughts or Ideas on this,I'm probably way off the mark but they will be fun to study all the same.
cheers Mike.

[sarah Smith]

Well I cant say much about the TCF but our RCF seems to be nocternal and an active hunter, and is more often found on the sides of her tank than else where other than her lair. Well I really should say lairs, she has two and will use both so you can never tell which one she will be in each day. One is a proper lair under her log, the other is much more of a tube web type thing with soil piled up in front to prevent flooding.She will be using her normal lair for days or weeks and then one morning your get up and find her in the other lair for no reason we can work out as to why she has switched.

[Adam Smith]

my P Murinus RCF tends to be both, when i first aquired it i tranfered it to a tank and at first immediatly took residence in the top corner of the lid and made a tube web, then it went and dug a hole and made an elaborate and intriguing web tunnel next to a plant pot. Having changed the substrate and giving a clean out had to rearange it so now still lives under a plant pot with new web system. Sum it all up at moment seems be terrestrial and semi arboreal. Doesnt help too much with having both behaviour.

[Adam Smith]

If youve both colur forms and same stage definitelty worth studying and would make a good read as an article in the future after observations

[Mike Shaw]

I think I will record all the results and then maybe and it's a big maybe try and write an article.

[sarah Smith]

Sounds pretty much like mine pe@nut, only shes never bothered digging a proper burrow. I was told they were opertunistic and would live all three ways, so maybe the mixed behaviuor has something to do with that. They certainly seem good at adapting and settling in to new places quickly at any rate.

[Adam Walters]

Hi Mike,

Sounds like a plan! Although I think it would have more value if you conducted your studies with several individuals

Cheers,
Adam.

[Adam Smith]

it all sounds like a good idea. I think opportunistic and manipulative would be the best words to describe P murinus as the one i have has been happy with tits tank and uses all decorations and linkjs them with silk making a nice little den. As far as the two colour forms going in different directions and both having different behaviour I oculdnt say as i dont have both colour forms but i think it might be worth buying one.

[manganr]

My TCF is most definitely both nocturnal and terrestrial. Probably even sub-terrestrial as she dug her tunnel moved in and that was the last I saw of her. She feeds and drinks well but I hve never actually seen it!