A.avicularia or A. minatrix?

[Wendy Orton]

Hi,

This is my first post on the forum, I've been interested in spiders for years but have only recently got my first Tarantula. I'm not sure whether it is an A. avic or A. minatrix? Here is a picture of her;

[Dee Pluck]

just a guess but i would say it looks like A. minatrix


but i'm just guessing based on other pics i've seen
of minatrix.

[Wendy Orton]

Thanks. Her legs are quite dark, so I was just wondering if A. minatrix can have darker legs.

[Colin D Wilson]

I think i'm right in saying that it is an A huriana.

The "black" bands on the abdomen of a minatrix join the dorsal stripe where as the huriana has a lengthwise dorsal line and then smaller black stripes on the flanks separated by the orange of the abdomen

[Wendy Orton]

I've never heard of A.huriana. Do they reach the same size as a minatrix?

[Colin D Wilson]

minatrix reach about 4 - 4.5 inch legspan, huriana reach about 6 inch legspan.

There's a little insite into Avicularia on Guys site here

http://giantspiders.com/Avicularia_species.html

And of course you can use the gallery on this site

http://thebts.co.uk/forums/gallery/index.php/cat/511

I should also welcome you to the forum as i've just noticed this is you first thread
Colin

[Wendy Orton]

Thanks. I'm thinking of getting a A.versicolor. The A. huriana is so well behaved I'm hooked.

[Colin D Wilson]

Another good choice, lovely adult colouration.

I'm still partial to what we knew as Avicularia avicularia, which is now a pet trade species (either sp. avicularia or just before that sp. guyana)
The whole Avicularia genus is a little mixed up at the moment (as you probably noticed from viewing the gallery)

There's another site here that has pictures of Avicularia species

http://www.spidy.goliathus.com/english/tarantula.php?species=Avicularia

that will show you the difference between the abdomens of the sp huriana and minatrix

[Wendy Orton]

Thanks so much for your help. I'm trying to learn all I can at the moment - reading everything I get my hands on about Avic.species.

[Colin D Wilson]

No problems,

It's been a bit of a task keeping up with all the changes in this genus over the months, the species ID problem only really matters regarding breeding at the end of the day, although it's nice to know what you have even if it's just a pet and breedings furthest from your mind.

Dont forget to post some pictures when you get your versi.

[Wendy Orton]

Breeding's not on the agenda at the moment. Have you any tips for when she moults. Do arboreal species moult on the 'tree' or do they come down to the substrate?
Also can you recommend any good books on arboreal species?

[Colin D Wilson]

They will spin web hammocks to moult on normally, although i've had afew arboreals moult on the floor in the past.
When she is coming up for a moult, she will normally go off food for a bit before, if you keep the temp and humidity within acceptable parameters then this will be all you can do to help her.

As far as books, i'm not the one to ask as i don't keep many books anymore as over the years so many things have changed (all my reference material is either scientific papers or research material. If i need to know a certain thing i'll ask someone in the know)
Ray Hale has posted a selection of his book collection on another thread "books" i'm sure if you post on there asking about arboreal literature (or if he sees this thread) he, or another member, will point you in the right direction.

[Wendy Orton]

Thanks Colin, will do.

[Chris Sainsbury]

Hi
Not sure if it helps you much but for an overview of what we have in the hobby regarding Avicularia species you could click the link below:-

http://www.the-t-store.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=8120

cheers
Chris

[Wendy Orton]

Thanks so much. I've had a look and seems an excellent thread.