Need Help In Identifying a Spider.

[J M Clegg]

I finally figured how to get the photos to show - please see below for the thread details.

[Colin D Wilson]

If it's any help Jay, if you've already tried this ignore me.
if you're uploading from PC, reduce the image size to 800 x 600 at 72 dpi and upload the one at a time, i find trying to upload more than two simultaniously makes the server reject the upload if they're any bigger than this.

Regards
Colin

[Mark Pennell]

All images should be 600 x 400 px no bigger or they will be rejected.

Regards
Mark

[J M Clegg]

Ah ha - thanks chaps. I uploaded them one at a time and it worked - Modern Technology!!!

Sorry the pictures are a little poor - the digital cam we used is not very good.

OK Spider specifics...................

I bought this one as A.Albopilosa last year, after a moult or two it became apparent it wasn't a Curley! It's personality is aggressive to say the least. It's not a flicker, but will strike anything that ventures into the Viv. I suspect it's a Haplopelma of some description, it's very similar to a small H.Minax, but it doesn't have the bold brown and black mottled tiger striping that we associate with a H.Minax or H.Lividum juveniles - it's colouration is less prominent. At the moment it has a leg span of around 5cm and an overall black appearance.

In terms of habitat, it seems to prefer humidity and a moist substrate. It likes to burrow and lines it's tunnel with a blanket of web - again just like my H.Minax. It doesn't often venture out of the burrow and I had to lift the cork lid off in order to get the photos.

The most striking feature - and the one I hope will help most with identification is it's abdomen. Unlike the Haplopelmas I have already - it's abdomen is elongated rather than round? As it eats and gets fuller, it elongates further rather then getting rounder? It's spinnerets are also quite long in relation to the abdomen.

Any ideas anyone?

[Nicola Dolby]

Not sure if its H. minax but it looks like an Ornithoctonus. My guess is that or at the outside a Selenocosmia.

[J M Clegg]

It's not H.Minax - I have 2 already both adult and juvi. Can you be more specific on the type of Ornithoctonus or Selenocosmia?

[Nicola Dolby]

Hi, my money is on a Selenocosmia javaensis. The elongated abdomen you mentioned is classic Selenocosmia, however the Ornithoctonus I've seen have long abdomens too. Either way its not O. aureotibialis, too dark for that, and its not an Aussie Selenocosmia/Phlogius. I think a dark javaensis but certainly I would look around that region (Phillipenes, Indonesia, Malaysia).

[J M Clegg]

Hi Nicola, I just googled Selenocosmia javaensis and some of the images were very similar. Stout legs, and elongated abdomen. I think I am getting close to finally finding out what we have here.

[Colin D Wilson]

Hi Jay
Just had a good browse around the net myself and S. javanensis seems a good comparison, have you checked the theraphosid gallery on here, there's two pictures from Volker and Soren, both similar build, colouration to your image.

I know picture ID'ing is not foolproof but it seems that, as you say, you're getting close.

Colin