For Cyriopagopus enthusiasts - new species uncovered in Sumatra

[Søren Rafn]

Cyriopagopus sp. "Sumatran Tiger"

Regards
Søren Rafn

[Colin D Wilson]

Interesting read,

Thanks Soren

[Eduard Johan Hijmensen]

what is the chance of this being Phormingochilus fuchsi?

[Søren Rafn]

Possible but not really likely, but since we haven't compared with the acctual type we cannot be certain. Furthermore it was not collected in the historical collecting site, which also add to the uncertainty. So we choose to use the provisional working name so far. I am looking forward to see how the adult females looks postmolt so far they look a bit scruffy

Regards
Søren

[Mark Pennell]

what is the chance of this being Phormingochilus fuchsi?

beat me to that!...

Still thanks for sharing Soren...

Regards
Mark

[Nicola Dolby]

Brilliant spider Soren. How many Cyriopagopus species are there now? As soon as I get caught up on the latest people say "Here's another". Seriously that is a spider to be proud of. Also how wide is the distribution of Cyriopagopus sp.? I know there is Malaysia and now Sumatra, but are there any in Java, or in Indonesia at large?
Many thanks

[Kim Pennell]

Brilliant spider Soren. How many Cyriopagopus species are there now? As soon as I get caught up on the latest people say "Here's another". Seriously that is a spider to be proud of. Also how wide is the distribution of Cyriopagopus sp.? I know there is Malaysia and now Sumatra, but are there any in Java, or in Indonesia at large?
Many thanks

Nicola
Yes the distribution is quite wide and getting wider all the time... oh look yet another new one from Borneo near Indonesian boarder. Above 1700 m


Six years in the searching and we found this. Its a large blue sp with very heavy set legs, unable to reach the adults due to height of the trees and bad weather.

Regards
Mark

(opps posted under Kims name)

[Nicola Dolby]

Beautiful spider, Somehow I think there might be an over-subscription for the Borneo trip later in the year if things carry on like this!!!

[Søren Rafn]

Good to see that you got more specimens than that single male Mark Remember it's not about how big it is it's about whether there is enough to do the job or not. In other words - slings will become adults

I have met this attitude several times when collecting - people overlooking slings only going for adults - and I am not so eager about that. I prefer to collect a few adults, double that amount of juveniles and a good back catalogue of slings. This will mostly guarantee a healthy sustainable breeding group. And furthermore it lessens the collecting impact on the local population (though I personally do not believe we as hobby collectors can do much impact unless we are talking about strip-mining a very small, localised population in a very vulnerable locality - but that would be another discussion).

Anyhow I am looking forward to see how this species will look like when it grows up and I do hope you have what it take to create a healthy sustainable breeding group (you know my thoughts about this one - you had the male I had the female - but it's difficult to breed alcohol specimens Congratulations with the find and I hope specimens will reach my lab to confirm my suspicion!

Regards
Søren

Nicola
Yes the distribution is quite wide and getting wider all the time... oh look yet another new one from Borneo near Indonesian boarder. Above 1700 m


Six years in the searching and we found this. Its a large blue sp with very heavy set legs, unable to reach the adults due to height of the trees and bad weather.

Regards
Mark

(opps posted under Kims name)

[Mark Pennell]

Good to see that you got more specimens than that single male Mark Remember it's not about how big it is it's about whether there is enough to do the job or not. In other words - slings will become adults

I have met this attitude several times when collecting - people overlooking slings only going for adults - and I am not so eager about that. I prefer to collect a few adults, double that amount of juveniles and a good back catalogue of slings. This will mostly guarantee a healthy sustainable breeding group. And furthermore it lessens the collecting impact on the local population (though I personally do not believe we as hobby collectors can do much impact unless we are talking about strip-mining a very small, localised population in a very vulnerable locality - but that would be another discussion).

Anyhow I am looking forward to see how this species will look like when it grows up and I do hope you have what it take to create a healthy sustainable breeding group (you know my thoughts about this one - you had the male I had the female - but it's difficult to breed alcohol specimens Congratulations with the find and I hope specimens will reach my lab to confirm my suspicion!

Regards
Søren

Søren
Well the bad news is we did not remove any specimens and due to weather we were unable to search further, but the main thing is we now have the local and 2009 we be able to fully survey the site.

My local contact is protecting the area an keeping a good eye on it.

Its taken nearly 6 years to find this and it would be still missing if not for Simon Jackson who noticed the above spiderling... Well done to him!

If and when I have larger material you are welcome to study them. The male is with Andrew Smith and may be at the BMNH already..

Regards
Mark