Hi,
Yep you are correct i would be wiling to give the site data for P. smithi to collectors.
The main differance is that there was no agreement that P. smithi should be left in the wild and the location where they are found (which is not in itself a sanctuary) currently protected.
The markings in P. smithi are unique for the species in that they have the upperside looking more like P. regalis/fasciata/pedersenni while the underside is more like P. miranda/tigrinawessli with the dark femurs.
P. hunamavillasumica however, there was a general agreement (as stated in Richards Post above) that P. hunamavillasumica shoud be left alone in its location a protected religous site and this was not just BTS members many people (maybe its because the Hamm show is comming up or they have nor read this thread, they have suddenly gone quiet and not posted HINT HINT) American and European also agreed that we the people in the hobby could support the worlds first spider/Tarantula sanctuary, and know that by not having this species in captivity we would know this spider can still be alive in the wild in the future.
Like i said it was NOT just BTS members who supported this.
P. hunamavillasumica is just like P. regalis/fasciata/pedersenni above and just like P. fasciata on the underside apart from one leg markings differance.
As this spider looks so close to P. fasciata, and found in an area where it was locally protected, there was no need for ANY specimens to be taken into captivity, this local religous sanctuary was not under any threat from habitiat loss.
The location of this species has been known for years, and all the main collector breeders honoured the "BTS stance" of keeping this as a santuary, and leaving this spider out of the hobby. As far as i am aware there has never been a call for this species in the hobby. But these guys are not doing the hobby a service just servicing thier own pockets. The main breeder collectors (and i have spoken to a few of them on this matter) will still NOT go and collect some or even look around the surounding areas to see and collect more because they are so disgusted with these guys and want all the disgust to be on thier shoulders, they will not even obtain any to breed from.
No matter what these guys say they were not colelcting these for any call form the hobby or conservation purposes, just their own cash supplies.
Here is an extract from an email i recieved from a friend last year:
"....in the local forest dept.and they hae said that 6 months ago 3 germans had blue spiders in there baggage(trying to smuggling them!)....."
These MIGHT be 3 DIFFERENT Germans, but how many Germans know the site for P. metallica?
P. metallcia is in the hobby and it is being bred so WHY go and get more? if not just for thier own selfish desires? (and this is not the second time they have been out collecting more metallicas)
Yes they might sell a load of them but once people see they are nothing more than a P. fasciata with a variation on a single band (which is still a viable taxonomical feature), they will feel very stupid for paying 85 pounds or euros for a spiderling, and i will laugh.
The worst thing about these comming into the hobby is thier similarity to P. fasciata. when the first males of P. humamavillasumica apear and there are no females around, yes you guessed it, some stupid will try to breed them with P. fasciata. Especially if the identifications have been done by those EXPERTS WHO CAN IDENTIFY ANY SPIDER FROM A PHOTOGRAPH ESPECIALLY AS IT LOOKS LIKE THE ONE FROM ANOTHER SITE (you know who and where i mean) start telling people they have been ripped of and all they have is P. fasciata, or OH MA GAWD the dealer sold you the wrong one.
See the mess these morons will cause
OH and not to mention the fact that people like (i wish i could say his name here) will be selling P. fasciata as P. hunamavillasumica, to cash in on them, and i bet that starts by XMAS 2006
Remember the "Red Pokie", the P. metallica that were for sale which no one recieved?
With the above regarding hybridisation, ripping people off etc, it does not matter where they came from, the only way to stop this will be for people not to by the spiders and let P. hunamavillasumica go extinct in the hobby.
Watch this space
Ray
