![]() jonitriantisvansicklei’s position on the family tree.Ī burgundy goliath bird eater ( Theraphosa stirmi) photographed at Virginia Zoo in Norfolk Photograph by Joel Sartore, National Geographic Photo Ark Though the spiders are clearly new to Sri Lanka, experts say more genetic research is needed to clarify C. ![]() The discovery highlights the rich diversity of Sri Lankan wildlife, and how many spider species are yet to be found. He eventually concluded that the spider was unique, as he and colleagues reported in the British Tarantula Society Journal, and named the species after donor Joni Triantis Van Sickle. Nanayakkara, a prolific spider-hunter from Sri Lanka’s University of Kelaniya, collected some of the shimmery arachnids on an expedition in 2015, then spent two years making detailed physical comparisons between them and known Chilobrachys species. Neighboring India is home to more than two dozen closely related Chilobrachys species, and while many are mostly unremarkably brown, several are similarly adorned. jonitriantisvansicklei is only the second species within the Chilobrachys genus to be found in Sri Lanka the first, a drab brown arachnid called C. “The males,” he notes, “are smaller and are mossy brown in color.”Ĭ. “When we first spotted them I was in awe, lost for words,” Nanayakkara says of the decked-out females. ( Read why science still can’t explain some blue tarantulas.) In fact, it’s these snazzy blue colors that first caught biologist Ranil Nanayakkara’s attention, and flagged the critters-now named Chilobrachys jonitriantisvansicklei-as potentially new to science. Measuring roughly five inches from tip to tip, these spiders are not exactly small, nor are their brilliant blue patches particularly subtle. Living in tubular, silk-lined burrows, they are fast and aggressive, seizing unlucky insects that wander too close to their underground lairs. Scientists found the arachnids within an isolated patch of southwestern rainforest, ringed by tea and rubber plantations. It always makes me nervous when someone says they're new and they want a medically significant species, but its not that it can't be done, you just gotta be extra vigilant about maintenance and housing and keep all interaction to a minimum.Sri Lanka is home to a new species of tarantula-and its females are fuzzy, turquoise-tinged, and big enough to comfortably hug a donut. Just don't touch it, and you'll be fine! Use caution, always have a catch cup nearby if you have to open the enclosure or rehouse it.you know. Other than that, Haplopelma in general are pretty easy to care for. Plus they stay in their holes a lot and you may be discouraged that you can't see it. lividum are fast and feisty and have a nasty bite. A lot of people get one T and want to jump in, and that's great, most of us here did the same, but H. Not to say you can't hack it, but please read a little more before you bring home a lividum. I noticed a post further down the board that said you were new to the hobby. They are a beautiful species but do NOT underestimate their speed.Ĭlick to expand.Tic Tac container, that's absolutely brilliant!! Other than deep substrate, humidity and giving it some privacy I don't really think there is too much more to it. If I were you, I'd probably expect to not see it much. lividum once or twice a year but I see mine every evening at the opening of it's burrow, probably looking for food I imagine. I have seen some members on here that they only see their H. They seem to have a good feeding response, which is always cool to watch! They are known to be "pet holes". They can sometimes be nervous or skittish. From my short experience with this species, mine will generally retreat very quickly to it's burrow when I so much as touch the enclosure. For these reasons, they're not recommended for novices. Their bite is medically significant, I believe. They are a defensive Old World species, so their first defensive mechanism is generally to bite. Some will take to it, others will not.Ensure you pack down the substrate nice and tight to avoid the burrow collapsing. Generally keepers make a burrow for them, or at least start one. They are a burrowing/tropical species and they like a LOT of substrate to burrow. When I rehouse I plan to put it into an enclosure with 8"+ of substrate. I keep the humidity by adding damp substrate to begin with, NOT by misting, which I believe is often done wrong and is rather useless and probably stressful. I think it was spiderengineer who uploaded it(if I got your name wrong, I'm sorry man!) Here it is: Īssuming you are talking about Haplopelma lividum - I personally keep my 2cm sling in a vial with 4" of Exo Terra plantation soil, about 75-80% humidity. There's a very informative video made by a member here that I watched recently.
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