Heptathela Pictures and Information

EasyC

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
7
Unfortunately, this is a request, and not information or pictures. Does anyone have any sources for good info on the genus? Specifically abca, australis, cucphuongensis, nui, sapana, tomokunii, and tonkinensis? (the Vietnamese species). Any and all info is appreciated!
 

klawfran3

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
645
Unfortunately, this is a request, and not information or pictures. Does anyone have any sources for good info on the genus? Specifically abca, australis, cucphuongensis, nui, sapana, tomokunii, and tonkinensis? (the Vietnamese species). Any and all info is appreciated!
I've been searching about these guys for years. There are a few good books on mesothelae out there, but from what I've gathered they are extremely ancient primitive spiders that require moist, deep substrate. They are really rare in the hobby and I only know of one person breeding them. Even then he said he wants to hold on to them, so we aren't going to see them in the hobby for a long while. And because of that, not a lot of people are going to be doing research on them, care or otherwise.
 

EasyC

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
7
Thanks for the response! I'm surprised they've been so slow to enter the hobby. I know the Malaysian Liphisticus spp are protected, so that may have something to do with it.

I ask because I'll be living in Vietnam for a couple of years, would love to know where to look for these guys. They're beautiful spiders.
 

schmiggle

Arachnoking
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,220
I saw them once with Ken the Bug Guy, but if I remember right they were very, very expensive. I don't know if that's who you were thinking of, klawfran3. Don't know about exports to Vietnam, but wikipedia actually says their native, so if you could find one, that would be really cool! I don't know where they live, though...
 

EasyC

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
7
Yeah, I meant information regarding the Vietnamese species, not exportation. Would love to find some.
 

klawfran3

Arachnolord
Old Timer
Joined
Feb 6, 2013
Messages
645
I saw them once with Ken the Bug Guy, but if I remember right they were very, very expensive. I don't know if that's who you were thinking of, klawfran3. Don't know about exports to Vietnam, but wikipedia actually says their native, so if you could find one, that would be really cool! I don't know where they live, though...
Ken got them in on a shipment from that area I believe. That was about four (five?) months ago and I can assure you none of them are large enough to breed yet. The person I talked to was here on AB (not giving out names because he wants to be kept on the DL) but he kept them communally and supposedly it works with them. He gave them a ton of deep, moist sub and the spiders were sharing burrows from time to time.
This is what he told me on how he keeps them "Regarding Liphistius, mostly you just need good substrate and a lid that keeps in humidity. I use a sandy loamy clay from the woods mixed with some cocofiber, mostly to take up room and be a bit lighter. I keep them together. I pile the substrate up against one wall and hollow out the front, so it's like a hillside that comes up to the glass."

Seems easy enough.
 

EasyC

Arachnopeon
Joined
Nov 14, 2014
Messages
7
Yeah, I just found that paper recently too. Only mentions four, but all near Ha Noi. Still searching for the other three, but I'm doubting they're found in the south. Looks like I'll need to rethink my living situation if I want to find Liphistiids.

Interesting that they can be kept communally, I figured they'd be pretty solitary in burrows. Maybe not combative, but not at all social. Hopefully I can find and keep a few spp.

EDIT: The paper describing australis is on two southern spp. So australis and nui are on the south - not sure about sapana
 
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