Aphonopelma sp 'new river' breeding ...best time of year to mate

[lynn mawdesley]

nice one, Lynn! i'll consult that and once i have things set up better will try to get conditions right...
this pretty much requires moving though! which i'm planning on doing anyway, so it's all good.

Found this aswell James about night time temperatures....

Temperature variations between night and day tend to be moderate during summer with a difference that can reach 28 degrees Fahrenheit, and moderate during winter with an average difference of 26 degrees Fahrenheit.

So from what im gathering they dont need an artificial heat source at the moment.

Lynn

[James Box]

aside from those nighttime drops (which i want to be able to provide!) they seem to have fairly constant conditions...the variations seem fairly slight...
this will take a while to figure out i think!
one thing i've read is that chalcodes burrows deeply in gravelly soil...and maybe new river etc is similar. i think i'd like to attempt to provide burrowing conditions like that, rather than a hide and shallow digging, though they seem content enough with that. it might aid success.

as it is i am trying to get data on G pulchra and G aureostriata (Paraguayan i believe) and A aberrans! busy time of year

[lynn mawdesley]

aside from those nighttime drops (which i want to be able to provide!) they seem to have fairly constant conditions...the variations seem fairly slight...
this will take a while to figure out i think!
one thing i've read is that chalcodes burrows deeply in gravelly soil...and maybe new river etc is similar. i think i'd like to attempt to provide burrowing conditions like that, rather than a hide and shallow digging, though they seem content enough with that. it might aid success.

as it is i am trying to get data on G pulchra and G aureostriata (Paraguayan i believe) and A aberrans! busy time of year

Hey James,

Yes i know what you are saying as been constant , i think its more the rainy seasons that concerns me ...with there been the two , the latter one bursts & breaks ...trying to 'mimic' that in captivity is going to be hard as you well know, humidity which is going to be created when not necessarily needed etc ...i reckon in my case so much trial and error , you guys will know more than me.
Let me know how you get one with the G pulchra & A aberrans ! i have slings of A aberanns (thanks Andy!)
=)

[Zach Valois]

Hey guys,

Aphonopelma chalcodes and all other members of the eutylenum are indeed some interesting taxa. The systematics and taxonomy are a REAL mess, as I am sure you guys know. This "New River" thing is obviously close to A. chalcodes, where exactly it comes out on a cladogram will indeed be interesting. I have a personal feeling that it may be an ecomorphotype of A. chalcodes or perhaps a closely related sister taxa, but I have not examined this "New River" animal under a scope, nor have I followed much morphological variation within the sub-group (I will save that for grad school).
As far as breeding goes, my personal experience is that a lot of these theraphosids can and will become "desensitized" after some time in captivity. I can see this especially when I look at the differences between wild individuals and then observe their behavioral change when brought into captivity. With this said, I have seen A. chalcodes breed and produce eggsacks totally out of step, with nothing but a paper towel in a small aquarium. Typically this genus breeds in the fall months of the western states, primarily October. If you guys would like me to get more specific information on this locality animal then let me know. Otherwise just feed them heavy, and care for like any other tarantula. I don't think any special attention need be applied for such things like nighttime drops or substratum composition to induce eggsack production.

good luck

[Zach Valois]

The true origin and placement of A. aberrans will also be interesting to see. Is A. aberrans monophyletic with typical US Aphonopelma? When will someone start compiling molecular data with these? Luckily one US professor is!

[James Box]

Zach, thanks mate!
data would be interesting, if you've the time to provide...but if you've seen chalcodes produce in such conditions, it would be very encouraging.
I mated my first female last July, and she's not showing signs, but the male is still going so will be trying again, with her and my second female.
hopefully the male is not a dud!
with new river, you may be right, it is a mess and this is undescribed, obviously. a few characteristics of new river are raised ocular mound and visible anal tubercles. i think there was something to do with the number of segments on the spinnerets as well, if you're curious. obviously these could just be regional variations as you say, i'm sure...we'll find out eventually i'm sure.
A aberrans...well it's evidently got some Aphonopelma characteristics, according to the spider shop site, where i got mine.
however, its superficial resemblance to Euathlas sp Green and Blue is a bit odd...also the fact it's a Chilean species would be a bit puzzling, bit far south for Aphonopelma i am told.
so we'll see what happens!
thanks again for posting in this thread, as you can see Lynn and i are very keen!

[Lee Ardern]

however, its superficial resemblance to Euathlas sp Green and Blue is a bit odd...also the fact it's a Chilean species would be a bit puzzling, bit far south for Aphonopelma i am told.

Its obviously not an aphonopelma but this is what it has previously been described as.

[James Box]

yep, that's what i was sort of hinting at lol

[lynn mawdesley]

Any updates James ?
As far as the chalcodes am i right in that they will either moult out or lay in the spring?
My new river female is not in premoult and her butt seems to be bigger!!

Lynn