# Tarantula Identification Please!!



## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Apologies for my ignorance, but I have purchased a tarantula- sold as a B.Smithi, though I am pretty sure this is not what she is (as she looks totally different to my other red knee. 

Can anyone please advise me as to what species/sub species she is. 

She is an absolutely beautiful looking old girl- chuffed with her! But would be nice to know what exactly she is! 

Many thanks in advance!


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*brachy*

think its a brachypelma boehmei, dont own any brachy's, sure someone who keeps them can confirm


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## pepper29 (Sep 11, 2009)

legs dont look red enough for a boehmei


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## Gomjaba (May 25, 2009)

Looks like an Brachypelma annitha ..


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## one of a kind (Jul 21, 2009)

The T could be a smithi or the knees slightly look like a auratum though my smithi looks alot like this one my opinion is it looks rather ragged be better to tell after a moult.
But then again gomjaba could be right looks right ive never owned a annitha.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

It looks a bit like Brachypelma baumgarteni, but if it is, you've got yourself a winner as they're pretty rare in the hobby and command higher prices.

http://www.minaxtarantulas.se/galleri/bilder/b_baumgarteni_2.jpg


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Hehe, thanks for the replies- you have all given me a few more ideas as to what she is.. 

boehmei- her legs are not bright enough in my opinion?
smithi - she hasnt got the striped red + black legs
auratum- as above?
annitha- possibly although her legs have no hint of black in them- just a red knee going down to a pale orange colour.

They all look so similar! 

Does any one own a Brachypelma baumgarteni? I thought she looked fairly similar ?

Thanks very much to everyone who has replied


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

I think Becky might have one, drop her a PM maybe.


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## Anythingwith8 (Sep 27, 2009)

I think B.Emilia, maybe B.Boehmei 

I think the difference is that B.Boehmei has almost all red legs and B.Emilia has it from the knee down.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

deansie26 said:


> think its a brachypelma boehmei, dont own any brachy's, sure someone who keeps them can confirm


nope, this is a boehmei










and this is an emilia - only red on one segment of legs and a very pronounced V shape on the carapace.


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## Ben W (Nov 18, 2008)

Def not a boehemi, carapace markings are wrong, but its a high contender for a Baumgartneri as Garlicpickle says, i had an annitha and baumgartneri a few years back.
Will be easier to tell when she has freshly moulted>

Cracking spider though, and a good find.


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

It could also be a hybrid as there are quite a few in the pet trade.


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Here is another picture of her- different view!


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## lukeyboi (Aug 10, 2009)

*im not sure?*

im not sure about mine now 
any one want look on profile pics
thanks:2thumb:
(was sols as fireleg)


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

lukeyboi said:


> im not sure about mine now
> any one want look on profile pics
> thanks:2thumb:
> (was sols as fireleg)


yours is a boehmei (fireleg)


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## pepper29 (Sep 11, 2009)

lukeyboi said:


> im not sure about mine now
> any one want look on profile pics
> thanks:2thumb:
> (was sols as fireleg)


yours is a fire leg


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## ph0bia (Feb 21, 2009)

The tarantula shown in the first post is most certainly NOT:
B.auratum (orange red 'flames' on otherwise plain black legs)
B.emilia (see photo shown, single orange 'section' to leg)
B.smithi (too much orange, not enough black)
B.boehmei (way too pale in colour)
B.klaasi (not 'pink' enough)

It does indeed remind me of a Brachypelma baumgarteni, as Andrew Smith confirms in his DVD (or the February '08 lectures) this is a valid species in the wild, but they are startlingly similar to some european hybrids. I'd suggest this is likely a boehmei/smithi hybrid being sold on as a smithi.


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## lukeyboi (Aug 10, 2009)

*cheers*

cheers guys:2thumb:


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## Ozgi (Jun 1, 2008)

slimeysnail said:


> Here is another picture of her- different view!
> 
> image


Are they dog's nostrils in the background of that pic? :lol2:


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Ozgi said:


> Are they dog's nostrils in the background of that pic? :lol2:


Lmao yes, indeed they are lol! She just wanted to be in the picture!!


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## Becky (Mar 26, 2007)

I got your pm and thought it'd be easier to post on here 

There are a few distinguishing features. Can you pm me some pictures from the underneath of her please? Looking for a certain thing for annitha, and also there are certain characteristics for baumgarteni. Can you send me a few shots of her legs? Taken from the side so i can see every segment please?


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Further pics to aid in the identification- thankyou Becky!


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## Becky (Mar 26, 2007)

Ok, pretty sure its not annitha. Need better pics of the leg segments, closer if possible


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## ph0bia (Feb 21, 2009)

I'm no Brachy expert, but that seems very much like a baumgarteni...


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## GRB (Jan 24, 2008)

Ok, so we know that it has black coxae, femurs, tarsal and trochancter sections. 

Tibia and metatarsal segments are orangey.

_B.baumgarteni_ lacks black metatarsal and tarsal segments. 

Could it be a B.klaasi? I'm aware it's 'not pink enough', but the leg colouration and ring of colour around the carapace look similar.


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Ok, I am going to have to be brave and get the big hairy beast out of her tank for closer pics! I will post them once I have plucked up the courage to do so later!! 

:blush:Any tips for getting her out when I am totally unsure about her temperament!! (and somewhat nervous of handling her!) :whistling2: :blush:


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## Poxicator (Nov 14, 2007)

best thing to do is purposefully but not forcefully put a cricket tub over it and then slide the lid slowly underneath her tipping the tub over as you do. If you do this in a relaxed and gentle manner you should have no problems. You might want to test her first by using the lid to move her around.
The one thing you need to be careful of is the urticating hairs which she might flick. A long sleeved shirt and dont get your eyes or throat too near. tbh its likely to be nice and easy and you can release merely by lifting the cricket tub.
Looks like you got a nice find.


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## slimeysnail (Jan 29, 2009)

Thanks for that advice.. :no1: Will see how I get on later:whistling2:


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## sjl197 (Jul 4, 2009)

Guys/Gals.

It looks very very much like B.baumgarteni. 

I dont want to say absolutely from a photograph, and im mainly going by colour and markings here which is risky, but i have seen plenty, including at a couple of sites in the wild. Also lets just say i have seen some where im less sure on the identification, even with a spider infront of me. I have captive adults of all Brachypelma species too here, except klaasi.. becky has that and keeps promising me it will become a mature male someday!

Im very surprised at the range of answers and the lack of consensus here, thought you would have together easily narrowed it down to boehmei/ baumgarteni at least.. which to give credit, some of you did suggest... 

The metatarsus colour seems to vary quite alot in baumgarteni, but the lightning mark always stays, just sometime not possible to see if the entire metatarsus colour is light. Carapace colour also varies, but often alot of black. The knee colour can be bright red, or faded light. The abdomen is often longer than seen in other species. No idea why, but there you go.

I recommend all who suggested other species go and buy the DVD on mexican spiders by Mr andrew smith. Im pretty sure plenty of pics of wild baumgarteni made it into that DVD. The information is out there people.


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## KDS (Nov 8, 2008)

Hi I think it's the baumgarteni or Hybrid


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## goliathmark (Nov 18, 2005)

i have a baumgarteni and it does look very similar , nice spid mate


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## Paul c 1 (Sep 30, 2009)

Funnily enough although a fairly old thread... I actually bought this spider from Sarah the OP.... I'm most certain she's a genuine baumgarteni as there are certain give aways for identifying this species properly, as Stuart mentioned in his post a distinguising feature of true baumgarteni is the yellowish 'lightning' mark or 'Nike swoosh' as I like to call it on the last section of the legs.

There was an influx of some EU hybrids a couple of years ago... but these are still young specimens and if you know what to look for you can easily eliminate them from being the real deal.

These along with B.boehmei are my favorite Brachypelma species by far.

-P


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## DannyB (Nov 8, 2009)

It is stunning whatever it is! I brought Becky's little one a few weeks ago, they really are stunning in the flesh.

If it matures into a male i will be in touch, in about a decade! lol


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## Paul c 1 (Sep 30, 2009)

DannyB said:


> It is stunning whatever it is! I brought Becky's little one a few weeks ago, they really are stunning in the flesh.
> 
> If it matures into a male i will be in touch, in about a decade! lol


Yeah certainly,... i'm going to put the feelers out for a male in the next couple of months even a sub adult male will do for now I suppose... i'll just obviously have to wait a little longer but it'll be worth it if things come to fruition, according to the last moult dates she should be due a moult in about 6 months or so.
-P


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## DannyB (Nov 8, 2009)

Mine is only around 2/3in and Becky said its taken over two years to get there, so...

If i see any males i will let you know though, i saw there was some slings on teretastik the other week.


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## Paul c 1 (Sep 30, 2009)

DannyB said:


> Mine is only around 2/3in and Becky said its taken over two years to get there, so...
> 
> If i see any males i will let you know though, i saw there was some slings on teretastik the other week.


 
Yes they most certainly are slow growing beasties!...and yeah please give me the heads up if you see any males about Danny it would be much obliged.
-P


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