Do i have a T.blondi or T. Apophysis...please take a look at the photo

[Paul Arnold]

Hi All.
My alledged T.blondi has shed for the first time in my care tonight. However I now believe her to be T. Apophysis. Ive been looking at the double flap spermathecae of T.Blondi on the internet,and i believe the one in the photo ive included in this post to be single. Please could someone give me an opinion as im no expert!
It kind of looks like a double flap in the photo. However there is no seperation point when looking at the spermathecae with the naked eye,when moving the flap it moves as one. Ive compared it to that of my female pampho and can see very little difference. Its worth saying that when she arrived with me as guaranteed female i had suspicions that he was a she given that she seemed very leggy and had quite a small body overall compared to many T.Blondi pictures ive seen. Post shed her legs are even more gangly...definitely a supermodel of the tarantula world he he

[craig mcinnes]

I doubt anyone will be able to tell you from a pic of the spermathecae alone as they pretty much look the same but if you still have the skin then this will help -

Rudloff, J.-P. & Weinmann, D. 2010. A new giant tarantula from Guyana. Arthropoda Scientia 1(1): 21-40.

[Paul Arnold]

Thanks very much Craig!
I still had the moult and have read the info contained within the link you gave me (daunting but useful ) Ive concluded that she must be T.Apophysis. The patella are absent of hairs unlike T.blondi which has hairs on the patella,and although T.Stirmi also has patella absent of hairs the tibia of T.Stirmi also lack long curved hairs whereas my moult has the long curved hairs on all legs complete with markings. Cheers I can sleep easy now

[Joey Mugleston]

If you posted a pic of the entire animal it would be easier to tell. Attached is a picture my wife took of all three described Theraphosa species. Don't pay much mind to the color as that will differ upon their position in the molt cycle, substrate, use of flash, etc. Instead the bristles, overall shape of the prosoma, and the dark spot on the posterior portion of the opisthosoma make telling the three apart quite simple. Also, if it is older than the first few instars, then the femurs will give a bit of information as well. The distal portion of the femur is thickened in T. stirmi and T. blondi. T. apophysis lacks the thickened portion.