Pamphobeteus coloration
Fellow Pampho keepers,
Here is the low-down on the Pamphobeteus sp. in the trade:
P. antinous "Bolivian Blue Leg" - very rare now, no longer available as imports, spiderlings don't have the "X-mas tree pattern", adults are impressive, legspans of 9.5" have been recorded, female is jet black to blueish-black with bushy, 50% covered abdomen in reddish-brown hairs, mature males are purple-reddish-steel blue in the femurs, very leggy and high-strung/aggressive, several geographical variations with the ones from SE Peru/NW Bolivia being exceptionally large, to 10.5" and stockier with mature males being an even brighter "blue" in the legs.
P. nigricolor "Blue Bloom"- even rarer with no imports, and few CB's produced, nice X-mas tree pattern in the spiderlings on a bright orange abdomen, adults can achieve 8"+ legspans, females are greyish-black overall with a fully-covered, reddish-brown abdomen, mature males are stunning in deep purple to blueish highlights in the femurs and a starburst pattern on their carapace, very leggy
P. fortis "Colombian Dusky-brown" - rare, but most commonly available Pampho, no imports available, but CB spiderlings to juvs occasionally, X-mas pattern in the spiderlings, adults are chestnut to reddish-brown, mature males have purple highlights in the femurs on the carpace (not as colorful as P. nigricolor though), stockier than P. antinous, nigricolor and vespertinus, adults achieve 8"-9" legspans, I call these a "Poor man's Goliath Birdeater"
P. vespertinus "Red Bloom" - extremely rare, only as CB spiderlings by me recently (1st time US offering of these as CB), spiderlings lack the X-mas pattern, but have a thin, white trim of white around the carpace, adults have bright red abdominal hairs, a black to grey color overall with two "red horns" behind the eyes, mature males have a red bloom in the femurs and a starburst pattern on top, adults to 7.5"
P. ornatus "Colombian Pinkbloom" - extremely rare, only available as CB spiderlings every few years, spiderlings lack X-mas tree pattern, adults are a two-tone dusky-brown to chest-nut brown with a lighter tanish carapace, both sexes have pinkish-purple coloration in the femurs of the legs with the color more vivid in the mature males. Grows to 7.5"-8.5"
P. insignis "Colombian Purple Bloom" - Rarest of the Pamphos, only two CB spiderling offerings to date in the U.S., spiderlings have the Xmas tree pattern, adults are olive-brown overall with mature males showing deep purple coloration on the carapace and inside the femurs, to 7.5"-8.5"
There are several undescribed/new Pamphobeteus spp. recently imported as CB spiderlings. Not much is known about them. Here are a few:
"Ecuadorian/Peruvain Black & Red" (Similar-looking to P. vespertinus, but females are almost as colorful as mature upon maturity)
"Ecuadorian Giant Red Rump" (Sold in early '02 out of Europe in error as P. antinous). Looks like these will grow up to be P. vespertinus to me.
"Ecuadorian/Peruvian Red & Purple" - I'm not sure what these were in 2001-2002, possibly a dealer name gimmick.
"Colombian Red Star" (Never has been imported or offered as CB). This is on Rick West's site though.
The genus Pamphobeteus needs revision badly, but nobody is working on it in the taxonomy world. I'm sure there are new species to be discovered in Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil.
Pamphos are my favorite genus because they display so well. Don't burrow no web much. Spiderlings/juvs are awesome-looking, they grow quick, feed well, often and on big prey, mature males are stunning with purple, red, and blue highlights, both sexes are amongst are largest Ts with legspans of 6 3/4"-9.5" with many females averaging 8" and generally speaking, they are fairly hardy. I keep them 78F-85F during the day with drops into the upper 60s at night with 80% humidity, 3"-5" of slightly moist peat, shallow and wide water dish and a cork bark shelter. I feed adults twice a week. They are confirmed vertebrate feeders. Anyway, Pamphos rule! I usually have several available if interested.
Todd
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