Mature male molt

[Jolanta Borowska]

Hi, I just want to share with something that happend to me recently. I heard few times about mature males molting and that anomaly happend to one of my pets - Euathlus vulpinus. Morning that day I saw that the ground in the container was in web and I wondered what could that mean. It didn't look like one of the sperm webs. In the evening he molted, whole process took him about 1,5h. His previous, adult molt happend at end of the March this year. He was that type of MM that have never refused the food. Today he still feels fine, recovering after the event.

I read that MM usualy stuck in their molt if they try to do that. I also saw a post where MM B. albopilosum also molted but without palps and he was a little deformed. This is first time I see MM that managed to perform it that well.

Time for pictures!

The beggining.


Quick shot at pedipalps (not the best quality).


Exuviae.




The next day pictures comparing exuviae and the male. He's become bigger! As you can see he needs a little more time to harden. Then I'll try to make picture to see clearly pedipalps tarsus.

[Kelly Battman]

That is really outstanding. I have only heard of a handful that survive through another moult but not so intact with all legs and palps. I know he needs to harden but he looks a little rubbery and reminds me of a wet moult i experienced with a T of mine. I'd love to see pics in a few days or so to see how well he hardens and when he starts eating. i may have left him untill he had hardened completely though before getting him out. Did you ever breed him, it would be interesting to see if he starts producing sperm webs. i Hope he recovers from the moult properly. i really enjoyed looking at the pics and just shows males can go on for quite a while and may surprise you. Please keep us updated

[Peter Lacey]

excellent pix, thanks for posting. I saw this on AB and found it fascinating that everything was intact.

[Ray Gabriel]

Just when I thought i had finnished a paper, if you copy the pic and magnify it it seems he has lost his bulbs,

Ray

[Jolanta Borowska]

Hi, just tried to take some shots of his palps. My camera is not the best to take macro photos and this male just couldn't stay still. Looks like deformed bulb (regenerating after loss?) or the tarsus split into two (looks hairy). Second one is no better. Doesn't look like he could breed anymore (not a suprise).






When he was still a proper male I tried to breed him, each time female was very willing but male just lifted his palps, struck female few times and walk off. I was waiting for female to molt and try again but the male was first...