Peru, November 2006

[Brian S]

Just returned from a little trip in the mountains. I will post both photos of the animals and the scenery in this thread.

First stop was in a place called Sayan. When walking out of town I found a rock with 2 juvenile Latrodectus geometricus.
http://img385.imageshack.us/img385/4127/mvc002sgm0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4610/mvc003smh8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

This is the typical habitat there, rocky and very very dry.
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9347/mvc004san2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/6691/mvc005sax0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Not really much in Sayan other than a few True Spiders, so we left there after about 3 hours.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/3462/mvc007sid8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/7939/mvc009sob6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Next stop was in Churin. This area is a little more lush and the scenery is breathtaking.
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/6902/mvc011spw2.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img501.imageshack.us/img501/9213/mvc012sct1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)


The crickets there are HUGE!!!! I know some tarantulas that would love to sink their teeth into one of these LOL
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/7697/mvc016sae5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

It didsnt take very long until I found a baby scorpion under a rock. Probably a Hadruroides sp
http://img55.imageshack.us/img55/9286/mvc025sgu3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Check this out!!! I finally found a tarantula down here. I have no idea which species it is. Check out the mite on the back leg. And no thats not my cigarette butt in the 2nd pic. The only place I find stuff down here is where there is alot of trash on the ground.
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/6484/mvc026sfa4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5237/mvc027ssm4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/8475/mvc028sgf8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Found this little Jumping spider on a flower.
http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/4273/mvc029sov6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

The scenery is just awesome in Churin. It reminds me of Canta which is also in Peru.
http://img56.imageshack.us/img56/8206/mvc030suf3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/8665/mvc031svp1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Here is a scorpion I found. Another Hadruroides sp I presume. Looks just like the ones I found in Canta this time last year.
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/5643/mvc002sgf0.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/1381/mvc004swq6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[becca81]

Great photos, Brian!
:clap:

[ShadowBlade]

Is that the tarantula's true coloring? Or isn't it all covered in that ashy-dirt?
Great pics by the way! I've been to Peru, but didn't get to look around for stuff out there. Did that in Ecuador.

[Crotalus]

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing!

[Brian S]

Is that the tarantula's true coloring? Or isn't it all covered in that ashy-dirt?
Great pics by the way! I've been to Peru, but didn't get to look around for stuff out there. Did that in Ecuador.

Actually both LOL. It did get some dirt on it when I kicked over the rock. All in all it is just a boring brown juvenile T. Still I am happy to have found it since out of 5 trips here this is the only one I have found. I need to go to the Amazon since that is where all the good stuff is.

[Crotalus]

The t reminds alot of Chaetopelma gracilis (which of course it isnt) but might be a Ischnocolidae

[Brian S]

Oh jeez!!! I forgot to post pics of the little toad we found
http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/5094/mvc012sts9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/7126/mvc013sds5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Brian S]

The t reminds alot of Chaetopelma gracilis (which of course it isnt) but might be a Ischnocolidae

Lelle, Do you know of a source that might have Ts listed by region? If so, I could narrow it down alot since I know the exact place where it lives.

[Brian S]

Just for the fun of it, here are some pics that I took between Sayan and Churin. The road is very narrow and probably dangerous. One slip up and its a loooooong ways down LOL
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/5788/mvc021sbz5.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/6727/mvc024slh1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Crotalus]

Lelle, Do you know of a source that might have Ts listed by region? If so, I could narrow it down alot since I know the exact place where it lives.

I dont know any list but you can always search on Platnicks site for "Peru"
Should give you some info atleast
Email Rick West, he might have more info

[Brian S]

This is back in Churin again. Note how much more lush it is there. Naturally that is where all the good stuff is.
http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/4539/mvc024ssh7.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I find it fascinating how these little villages pop up out of nowhere in the Andes Mtns
http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2879/mvc023ssa1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Brian S]

I dont know any list but you can always search on Platnicks site for "Peru"
Should give you some info atleast
Email Rick West, he might have more info
Yeah I am planning to email Rick West. He would probably have a general idea or at least know to point me in the right direction.

[ShadowBlade]

I need to go to the Amazon since that is where all the good stuff is.

Yeah, my tour guide was more then happy to help look for tarantula burrows and nests. He liked to see me get them out, and tell him about them.
However, we only did it for like 2 half-days and a night. Not near as long as I would have liked.;)

[Mechanical-Mind]

Hey Brian,

Awesome pics and it looks like a pretty sweet trip! Nice looking Latro as well. I may just be crossing my fingers too hard, but how big would you say it was?

Adios,
-Matt

[Brian S]

Hey Brian,

Awesome pics and it looks like a pretty sweet trip! Nice looking Latro as well. I may just be crossing my fingers too hard, but how big would you say it was?

Adios,
-Matt

Matt, Its about 1 or at the most 2 molts from adulthood. They are the same size as all other Latros I have seen so that is what I am basing that on.

[Wadew]

Nice photo's Brian ! I will aso say thank you for sharing, some of the views are stunning.



Cheers Wade

[Brian S]

Thanks Wade, The photos really doesnt do those places justice. You really need to visit in person to see the real beauty there. The road that goes to Churin is very narrow and gravel. I honestly dont know what keeps the road from sliding off the side of the mtn LOL

[tarantulasperu]

that T seems looks like a Thrixopelma pruriens but im not sure, is it brown because of the dirt or is that its natural color i have one like yours which is a juvinile believed to be a Thrixopelma pruriens or even a paraphysa sp heres a photo he webs extremely lightly and is very skittish http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=9671&catid=member&imageuser=17368
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/gallery/showimage.php?i=9675&catid=member&imageuser=17368