Chicken-eating spider

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Adam

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Hey all,

It's been a while since I've posted anything, mostly been reading lately. Anyways, tonight I was watching Animal Planet and an episode of "Deep Jungle" came on. On the episode, Martin Nicholas was in South America looking for the "Chicken-Eating" tarantula. Supposedly this is an unknown species that has been observed attacking and eating chickens. You can find some info here:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/deepjungle/episode2_nicholas.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/spiderman.shtml

Any thoughts on this cute little guy (the spider, not Martin :p)?
 

Sheri

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Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh whatever.

Yes, there were some real surprises. Seeing the big mama tarantula with the young was remarkable. Most tarantulas are in no way gregarious. In fact, they often cannibalize their own young. So seeing that was very unusual. But it may make sense. It looks like when they go out at night as a group, they can catch and kill larger prey by working together. We also discovered that those spiders appeared to be keeping a pet. There was a little frog that lived down in the hole with the spiders. It may offer some sort of service to spiders, like sweeping up ants that might bother the spiders.


The Chicken Spider has been confirmed as one of these new species. Identified as being within the genus Pamphobeteus.


I've even discovered a couple of new species ... one is a small, brown, stripey tarantula that builds the most incredible tube webs. It is going to be named after me.

A small brown "stripey" tarantula?
LOL!
And who is going to name it after him?
He seems soft, a little touched. Like the whole world is humouring him.

Omg.

If this is real I shall systematically convert every article of clothing in my wardrobe to pink.
 
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GoTerps

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There is a great article on this amazing Pamphobeteus sp. in the latest BTS Journal.
 

Sheri

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ok.

Maybe I was a little hasty with the pink conversion.

Uh-oh...

But really... the guy does not sound credible.

Stripey???

Communal chicken hunting?
 

Mattyb

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Sheri said:
ok.

Maybe I was a little hasty with the pink conversion.

Uh-oh...

But really... the guy does not sound credible.

Stripey???

Communal chicken hunting?

yes this is very funny. They acually put this guy on TV?? I hope the show comes on again.


-Mattyb
 

Mattyb

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Ok, i need to comment on this again, he claims he breeds them, and has over 500 species? <EDIT> Its amazing how people can think of stuff like that.



-Mattyb
 
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GoTerps

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yes this is very funny. They acually put this guy on TV??
Yes, they did.

The behavior of these spiders is truly fascinating. Of course I'm a behavioral entomologist so I'm a bit biased!! I encourage you to read the article in the BTS journal.
 

Immortal_sin

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you can download the full text version of his trip on the BTS website. Much more interesting and informative then the newspaper version ;)
 

Kid Dragon

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Sheri said:
ok.

Maybe I was a little hasty with the pink conversion.

Uh-oh...

But really... the guy does not sound credible.

Stripey???

Communal chicken hunting?
Sheri,

You never know, pink might be your color. I have heard of the chicken-eating tarantula, however it is un-named. I think we should name it after Sherri's new wardrobe: Pamphobeteus pinki.
 

Adam

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I knew you guys would like that one :) The show was actually pretty good overall, lots of cute animals and awesome footage of the jungle. Martin did pick up the T at one point using the press-it-down-and-pick-it-up-by-its-sides technique. I dunno, it was a good show to watch during a work out, much better than the other reality crap that was on TV.
 

danread

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Mattyb said:
Ok, i need to comment on this again, he claims he breeds them, and has over 500 species? <EDIT> Its amazing how people can think of stuff like that.
Where does he say he has over 500 species? :?
 

Tescos

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And who is going to name it after him?
Well maybe it will be named after him if he found it, its undescribed and he has given specimens to the a person who is working on this genus. The same has happend to many other species. Look at things like P.smithi, B.Klaasi, B.baumgarteni, H.schmidti, X,gabrieli, P.westi the list goes on, so why not Martin Nicholas? Hes done more than most in the way of seaching for tarantulas in the wild.

He seems soft, a little touched. Like the whole world is humouring him.
For crist sake! Its a t.V. thing. Forgive me if I'm wrong but you have to come over as friendly to present such a program so it appeals across the board and not to just a few people or? Rick West comes over the same in his or am I misstaken?

But really... the guy does not sound credible.
I think if you met the man then you might just have a different opinion of him as he has most likely forgotten more about tarantulas than you will ever know! Tell me why the need for this kind of outburst about someone you have never even heard off or even met?

Communal chicken hunting?
Tell me in the program did he say the tarantulas do this or did he say that this was the legend? :rolleyes:

Maybe you should get out there in the jungle and do a similar program I mean your obviously be very much better at it.
BTW While in the jungle you don't dress for fashion you dress for comfort who gives a dam how you look as long as your comfortable. :rolleyes:
 

brachymad

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In this thread I think I see 5 hobbyists and about the same number who keep pet trantulas . Mr Nicholas is a very respected man. Done more for the Tarantula than most of you could imagine. I have read the BTS article very well written and informative. Please do a bit of thinking before trying to pull somthing appart based on its title.
 

phil

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Nicely put <snip>. nothing like judging and commenting on people you have never spoken to or met. it's not like you see the Brits making personal comments on U.S T.V tarantula experts :embarrassed: :wall:
 
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stewartb

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phil said:
Nicely put <snip>. nothing like judging and commenting on people you have never spoken to or met. it's not like you see the Brits making personal comments on U.S T.V tarantula experts :embarrassed: :wall:

Well said.

<snip>

Regards

Stew.
 

smokejuan

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I have to agree with the last of this thread. I read the text of the chat eager to learn more about the big T. and instead had to read alot about others trying to discredit him and make them selves look good :embarrassed: . I am disappointed in the interviewers. Yes he has to act like crocodile humter, Jeff Corwin , etc to get more of an audience or TV of today will not air or watch it sadly. When discovery channel first came out it was straight forward documentary and I really liked it but not enough people could keep thier attention focused on it and had to have entertainers do the talking. Weather people think this man is qualified to do this or not is really unimportant because where are your arachnoheros now? Last time I saw them they where bad mouthing a guy in a chatroom. If anyone should know how hard it is to get some one to pay for your work and actually get your film aired is the very people who was giving him a hard time. And I have seen no other shows on tarantulas in a long time particulary on new species.
 
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Sheri

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Tescos said:
For crist sake! Its a t.V. thing. Forgive me if I'm wrong but you have to come over as friendly to present such a program so it appeals across the board and not to just a few people or? Rick West comes over the same in his or am I misstaken?


Maybe you should get out there in the jungle and do a similar program I mean your obviously be very much better at it.
BTW While in the jungle you don't dress for fashion you dress for comfort who gives a dam how you look as long as your comfortable. :rolleyes:


I would love the opportunity one day to go into the jungle and do what he does.

Until now I had never heard of the guy.

Those links provided - not the best introduction.

He certainly didn't sound like someone that knew what if he was talking about, and we have ALL seen a ton of misinformation in the media before.

If he is legit and was "irwining" it up for the media then of course, I apologize and recant.

But the way it read... it seemed like a special interest story that had gone way off the rails in trying to be more interesting. And I really, really hope that the state of television is such that information has to ben that dumbed down.

I haven't yet had time to read the BTS article but will endeavor to do so today.
 
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