Odd Cobalts

reptist · Jan 10, 2008

I recently recieved a shipment of cobalt blues {H lividum} and along w/ being larger than most Cobalts I have recieved they also had a differant look to their abdomen and just seemed a bit strange looking for the species, apart from their look they act like normal cobalts, the 2 in the pic need a shed but I dont think that would acct. for the abmormaly vivid markings on the abdomen, most I have seen have only slight or absent markings at this size (about 5.5+"} shown also is a pic of what I would call "normal looking Cobalts", does anyone have any insight into the difference in look between the "odd Cobalts" and the "normal Cobalt" pix below? I was just thinking it may just be a color variant from a differant locale or something to that effect but dont have any info on collection sights to either confirm or expell this theory, any Ideas? PEACE, B.

Normal Cobalt

Odd Cobalts

reptist · Jan 10, 2008

???????

Does anyone else have a Cobalt adult w/ markings such as those in the pix? B.

Truff135 · Jan 10, 2008

It sort of resembles some haplopelma non-cobalts on this website: (I had a hard time getting to the genus/species list, it's not in English)
Haplopelma robustum:
http://sklipkani.cz/polozka/529/Haplopelma_robustum
Haplopelma longipes (scroll down to bottom of page for pictures):
http://sklipkani.cz/polozka/1625/Haplopelma_longipes

Neither are exactly what you have, but they are a little similar. Notice how both, even though they aren't lividum, still have a hint of blue and the distinct abdomen markings. Neither are as dark as what you have, but I think it is slightly possible you have something other than a lividum. Hard to say for sure. Hope it helps a little, and good luck on your findings.

crotaline · Jan 10, 2008

I have had them before. They are the light phase. Once they molt they should look like the "normal" one except with a light colored abdomen and chevrons.

Truff135 · Jan 10, 2008

Darn, and here I was, hoping I was onto something.

Crazy0monkey · Jan 10, 2008

Truff135 said:
Darn, and here I was, hoping I was onto something.

IDK I think you are lol. Cuz from looking at those pics it seems 2 be a divrent breed then the H lividim. Close but yeah the abdom is diffrent.
Only time will tell , Am i right? lol

Stylopidae · Jan 10, 2008

Could it just be the sling coloration?

The moult after this pic was taken, the spider turned the characteristic blue.

Mina · Jan 10, 2008

My first thought was wondering if you are sure it was a female? I got both of mine as adults so I don't know what the sling/juvie coloration looks like.
It is pretty though. Listen to Adam and maybe hang onto them until one moults and see if that makes any difference in its appearance.

reptist · Jan 10, 2008

cobalt

I dont know if I buy the sling colors theory as these spiders are easily all of
5+" and surely adults, and the patterns are not mottled at all even on the female that realy needs a shed, here is a fresher molted female and a penultimate male that is within a week of his last shed, they just dont look like any cobalts I have ever seen, and I have seen many cobalts, the patern seems to get more vivid after a molt, at least on the sub male, there is a adult female H albostriatum also and the abdomen has much the same pattern, maybe its an integrade, they came in the same shipment, ?????????

Female

ChrisNCT · Jan 10, 2008

I dont know what they are Brandon.,...but I want them!

Truff135 · Jan 10, 2008

Well at least I don't feel like a complete idiot for throwing out my opinion, now, knowing that they're adults and some male/some female etc. I'm not an entomologist, I know, but it seems pretty clear to me that it's not a "typical" h.lividum. Maybe you have stumbled across something unique (not necessarily "new")...whatever they are, they are absolutely gorgeous!
Chesh, I respect your view/opinion, seeing as how you are studying entomology and biology. What do you think after seeing adult specimens? I'm genuinely curious and look forward to hearing input from someone that knows more than I do

.

Widowman10 · Jan 10, 2008

i could be way off, but is it possible that they could be hybrids?? i don't know that much about them, and i don't know if you've tried breeding them or anything, but the patterning on the abdomen is crazy and if the spider is 5.5" and not showing bright blue, well.... either that or it could just be a light phase

hmmm, either way, good lookin spider :clap:

Topcat1 · Jan 10, 2008

Leg IV looks like H. longpipes on that second one, kinda. Then again I've never really looked at leg IV of H. lividum really. Maybe if you could get some closeups of legs IV, and someone can get some closeups of their H. lividum's legs IV, that could be a start, or rule it out.
Those just don't look like H. lividum other than the slight blue. I can't remember where I read it, but I'm not sure that hybrids of the Haplopelma genus do very well for themselves.

Truff135 · Jan 10, 2008

That's what I thought as well, if it was a hybrid I have a hard time believing that so many would have reached adulthood. I mean, you never know, I just doubt it. I'm still thinking it's not a lividum.

Stylopidae · Jan 10, 2008

reptist said:
I dont know if I buy the sling colors theory as these spiders are easily all of 5+" and surely adults

Then they're not H. lividium.

I'd be interested to see what Volker and Martin have to say on the matter.

Truff135 · Jan 10, 2008

This is becoming very interesting, indeed. I will be keeping an eye on this thread, for sure. Where are our gurus when we need them?

Brian S · Jan 10, 2008

You want my opinion?
Now this is speculation for now but I believe those are WC H lividiums in need of a molt. I have seen alot of WC imports that are faded like that. Once they molt they look like a CB spider like we are used to seeing in that they will be more brilliant. I believe that those in the wild have longer molt cycles due mostly to less food as they would recieve in captivity thus their exoskeletons can get really weathered.

Thats just an opinion but until someone steps forward with something better I'm sticking with it

Widowman10 · Jan 10, 2008

Brian S said:
You want my opinion?
Now this is speculation for now but I believe those are WC H lividiums in need of a molt. I have seen alot of WC imports that are faded like that. Once they molt they look like a CB spider like we are used to seeing in that they will be more brilliant.

you might have a point, and i was sorta wondering the same just because of the not-so-brilliant colors, but the patterns on the abdomen are so different and so vivid. he even showed a picture of a "fresher molted female" and the coloring and patterns were still not "normal". i don't know. anyone?

Brian S · Jan 10, 2008

"Color means nothing" -Volker Von Wirth @Arachnocon 2006

Widowman10 · Jan 11, 2008

Brian S said:
"Color means nothing"

ha, how true i guess...

Brian S said:
-Volker Von Wirth @Arachnocon 2006

:clap:

Odd Cobalts

Arachnobaron

Arachnobaron

Arachnoprince

Arachnosquire

Arachnoprince

Arachnodemon

Arachnoking

Arachnoking

Arachnobaron

ChrisinTennessee

Arachnoprince

Arachno WIDOW

Arachnosquire

Arachnoprince

Arachnoking

Arachnoprince

ArachnoGod

Arachno WIDOW

ArachnoGod

Arachno WIDOW