Question about species and genus. Simplified.

[Andrew Ferguson]

In the Brachypelma (and others) family, there are different varieties, such as smithi, lassi etc etc.

Now I'm trying to try and understand all this so if I put it in other terms, can you tell me if I have my understanding correct.

Take the big cats, there are lions, tigers and leopards. In those groups there are other varieties such as African, Asiatic and Barbery in the lions. Bengal, Siberian etc in the tigers. Got my drift so far? Good. So is this the same principle for tarantulas? Also, can tarantulas inter breed? Tigers and lions in captivity have succesfly bred together. So based on that evidence, could (at least theoretically!) a Gramastola and a Brachypelma breed to create a Gramapelma.

I really enjoyed biology in high school, but that was 17 years ago and I've drunk a lot of alcohol since then. So not a lot of what I learnt has stayed up there.

[Ray Hale]

Some tarantulas can cross breed but this does not creat a new species but a hybrid. Lions and tigers crossing do not create a new species but merely a hybrid. So really tarantulas of the same species only should be mated. It is difficult to identify true species much less hybrids. In the past some have crossed different speices and tried to sell them on as a new species. Its not a wise thing to do as it can cause many problems.

A good question though.

Hope this helps
Ray

[Andrew Ferguson]

Ray, that was a spot on answer. Cheers. And yes, I should have said hybrid and not a new species. But hybrid these days tends to be in reference to Lexus cars and not biology. And as I said, it has been 17 years, many of them alcohol fueled (why did I have to grow up!!??) since my last biology class, so quite a few brain cells have been destroyed.

By the way, I'm not a recovering alchy. I just enjoy a beer and like you, I do like the Tiger (and other Indian) variety

[Mark Pajak]

In the Brachypelma (and others) family, there are different varieties, such as smithi, lassi etc etc.

Hi Andrew I'm not sure if this makes things clearer but defining the terms would be the first step to recovering from confusion....

Scientifically/ Taxonomically speaking Brachypelma would be a Genus (rather than family), and would belong to the family Theraphosidae. smithi would be the species, belonging in the Brachypelma genus

- like a tree branching into ever finer branches - starting from the trunk we have

Kingdom......................Animalia
Phylum........................Arthropoda
Class............................Arachnida
Order...........................Araneae
Family..........................Theraphosidae
Genus........................Brachypelma
Species.........................smithi

and branches go finer still with subspecies, varieties, etc. but generally speaking a species is the final division, as reproduction functions at the species level.

Basically the trouble with simplification is that the more you understand about it, the more there is that still needs explaining, it is best to take little chunks of understanding and then relax, ...ahhhh!

Common names/descriptions such as African, Aisiatic, Siberian, Redknee are valid and helpful to an extent, but are prone to be used vaguely, and so you only know what you've got if you have a unique (latin) name depicting which branch your spider comes from, a bit like a bar code - the barcode for sainsbury's cornflakes would be different to the barcode for kellogs cornflakes, but some people would only care that they were cornflakes... comprende?.... ok admittedly I have been on the lager tonight..... this is me signing off.

[Andrew Ferguson]

Mark, thanks for the reply. Simple and to the point, despite the beer

Is there a Taxonomy For Dummies book available at all

[Colin D Wilson]

unique (latin) name

Mark......
Scientific name....some are Greek based, some tribal or some even humorous or nonsensical based on the wit of the discoverer.

we'll blame it on the lager

p.s. let me know when you're ready for your study subjects.

Colin

[Mark Pajak]

yes, Booze and Spiders...mmmmmmmmmmmm

[Richard Shah]

So basically... y'all are telling me not to drink if I want to remain smart and clever?? Well, I'll drink whem I'm older, but not in excess. Skunk, crack, coke, smack etc. I have never contemplated using, and I do not think I will (and sure hope so too!) Cigarrettes are disgusting... is all I can say; that and the fact that I'll never ever smoke one!!!!

Cross-breeding, what does a grammostola rosea brachypelma smithi look like???
Wouldn't the two species fight rather than mate???

Thank you to all,

Rich!

[Andrew Ferguson]

So based on that evidence, could (at least theoretically!) a Gramastola and a Brachypelma breed to create a Gramapelma.

Excessive drinking leads to memory loss. Hence the reason a lot of things I learned in biology has been pushed out by dead brain cells.

And as for the Gramapelma, look at the bit I've highlighted Richard

[Richard Shah]

Excessive drinking leads to memory loss. Hence the reason a lot of things I learned in biology has been pushed out by dead brain cells.

And as for the Gramapelma, look at the bit I've highlighted Richard

Yes; but it would still make for something new man lol! Imagine a pokie with the temperament and requirements of a B. Smithi; bright nice colours, and ground-dwelling/oppurtunist burrower, so great for a display spider.
Just a thought, but what attracts a lot of its buyers are the facts that they are arboreal, apparently aggressive though seemingly shy and naturally make a tank look interesting cuz of the tall plants and wood etc. used.
It could well be more than a theory, but maybe not without the aid of new scientific techniques; if that be the case, then I call it wrong.
Now I'm off to watch that episode of South Park, about splicing animals together, even though I've seen all the episodes at least three times!
thanks Andrew.

[Clinton Hogben]

Yes; but it would still make for something new man lol! Imagine a pokie with the temperament and requirements of a B. Smithi; bright nice colours, and ground-dwelling/oppurtunist burrower, so great for a display spider.
Just a thought, but what attracts a lot of its buyers are the facts that they are arboreal, apparently aggressive though seemingly shy and naturally make a tank look interesting cuz of the tall plants and wood etc. used.
It could well be more than a theory, but maybe not without the aid of new scientific techniques; if that be the case, then I call it wrong.

or you could cross an ornamental with a T blondie or an L para and end out with a huge decorative beast

I think not, we have enough fun identifying existing species without opening that can of worms
mother nature knows best

Clint

[Richard Shah]

or you could cross an ornamental with a T blondie or an L para and end out with a huge decorative beast

I think not, we have enough fun identifying existing species without opening that can of worms
mother nature knows best

Clint

Lol you are certainly right there!

[Dave Freeman]

yes, Booze and Spiders...mmmmmmmmmmmm

Cant agree more.