Costa Rica Zebra (Aphonopelma seemani)

[Dave Grace]

I have spoken earlier to Linda Street (thanks again for your help Linda ) about this one, and I have recently bought a C Rica Zebra, I read up on the breed before buying and pretty much everywhere said brown to tan belly and orange spinnerets. I managed to have a closer look today and it is completly black... No sign of orange anywhere !!

Linda mentioned that there had been a thread on this previously, but I was wondering if I should be shouting from the rooftops as this could be rare ???

Any help or info appreciated

[wayne balcombe]

Hi dave, any chance you could upload some pictures of your spider?

[Dave Grace]

would love to but don't know how i'm afraid (sorry !)

[Dave Grace]

Wayne, I do apologise, just managed to put one on here for you to have a look at

[wayne balcombe]

your spider is not an Aphonopelma seemani. in my opinion it is infact Ephebopus murinus and a gorgeous specimine too. congratulations.

[wayne balcombe]

just to clarify scientific to common.

Aphonopelma seemani = Costa rica zebra or zebra knee or stripe knee etc

Ephebopus marinus = skeleton leg

[craig mcinnes]

Looks like Haplopelma albostriatum to me but then i don't really know anything about these spidery type things.

[wayne balcombe]

Well spotted craig, i'd not thought of H.albostriatum and on reflection its a possibility.

[wayne balcombe]

after a better look with less tired eyes i'd have to agree with craig and go with Haplopelma albostriatum.

[Dave Grace]

Thanks for trying to establish which breed/genus it is, it is a striking looking T, but I'm a bit peeved, (i think its a great T) but at the end of the day it isn't the one I was after, or was sold!! I will have to have a read up on the Thai Zebra now lol !!

[Dave Grace]

SO have just read that they are Old World T's with no urticating hairs, but are prone to biting, nice to know now that I have moved it twice !! Must say though that on both occasions it seemed to be quite stubborn, not flighty or bity as stated in some caresheets. Now going to have to rename, as Rica seems a little odd : )

[wayne balcombe]

LOL no rica just wont cut it anymore will it?

you shouldn't be "peeved" as in my opinion the spider you have tops the A.seemani hands down.

As with all others of the genus Haplopelma they can be very agressive and are quite confident spiders that have the ability to move at almost lightning speed, they are also oppertunistic burrowers so should be given about 4-5 inch deep substrate, the down side to this is that when it does burrow you may net see it for weeks or even months on end.

[Mark Harrison]

Dave, i have to agree with wayne on this one, ive wanted a A.Seemani for as long as ive been collecting, and managed to get a H.Albostriatum first and must admit i do love them....ive also heard as well that seemani's can be quite defensive and in some cases worse than old world spiders (again that could be personal exp or opinion). Plus on the up side i havent seen that many "thai zebra's" for sale at shows etc

[Peter Lacey]

I'll be putting my A. seemani up for sale soon if someone's interested.
Where did you get your T from? very different in how aggressive they can be and Haplopelma have a much stronger and painful venom.

[James Box]

it does look rather H. aureostriata, i must agree.

it's a taste thing, but i'd personally take an Aphonopelma over a Haplopelma any day. though as it happens i have both...but still know what i prefer.

A. seemani is a muddle though, with several species all looking similar. i also don't think anything is coming out of Costa Rica at the moment, as i heard they banned exports. A. seemanni (and similar species) are also found in Guatemala so it's not that bad, and that's where i believe they're coming from.

very strange to have a Haplopelma aureostriata being sold as a seemanni though.