spinifer or murinus?

[Robert Martin]

I'm sorry if you've previously discussed this but what is the difference between Pterinochilus spinifer and P murinus if there is one. I've got a Pterinochilus and i bought it as a spinifer but seeing alot of pictures on this site i can't see much difference apart from the brightness in colour. The 'T' i got is a vibrant orange (i'll post a pic soon as the cameras charged!!) and i'd really like to know if it really is what i got it labelled as.

Cheers,

Rob

Also....i feel a bit dumb asking this seems i've kept 't's for around 8 years now and don't know but,
What does it stand for when before a tarantulas name it says e.g. 1.0.0 or 0.2.0 etc??

[Ray Gabriel]

P. spinnifer is a name used by some places to sell the orange form of P. murinus.

it sounds like you have P. murinus "orange form"

Ray

[Robert Martin]

Cheers for the speedy reply Ray. I thought so from what i've read. I think i'll have to edit my collection list now!!

[Paul Behan]

Q: What does 1.2.1 mean?

A: It's simply an abbreviation for gender ratio of Tarantula's (Male.Female.Unknown). 1.2.1 means one male and two females, and one of which the gender is in question.

[Robert Martin]

Thats sound.Cheers for clearing that up Paul. It's simple when you know.

Back to this spinifer, murinus thing. I have a book by Eugene Bruins called The Complete Encyclopedia Of Terrarium (brilliant book) and it says in there that the 2 are different in both appearance and distribution. Spinifer being a different colour with slightly different markings and from Tanzania and Kenya. And murinus having slightly less markings and only being found in Tanzania. This auther has a degree in entomology but i suppose that dosn't make him right. This is only 1 book and i havn't cross referenced it with any others yet but does this make it possible that they could be different, seperate spiders? or is it fact that they are the same but different colour morphs???

Does anyone actually know for fact?

[Phil Rea]

Well the taxonomy of the African tarantula fauna is something that's being worked on at the moment, but currently Pterinochilus spinifer is in synonymy with Eucratoscelus constrictus, and with E. constrictus being the senior synonym (Gerstäcker's 1873, as opposed to Pocock's 189, that takes precedent.

So technically at the moment there's no such spider as P. spinifer

As to any morphological differences between the two (if they're the same sp. then there shouldn't be any significant differences apart from normal variation), that would have to be one for Richard

[Robert Martin]

Cheers Phil. I think you've answered my query. The spider i've got must be a murinus "orange form" then. She's beautiful and feisty. She tried biting me this morning through the glass just for moving her tank!! You gotta love 'em!!