- Joined
- Oct 17, 2005
- Messages
- 71
I was wondering what a mirror patch was because I have read that they are on G. Roseas but none of mine have them
Mirror patch
- Thread starter Kizzywhizzy
- Start date
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2005
- Messages
- 184
Beat me too it.
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2005
- Messages
- 853
my smaller rosehair has one of those, its rectangular shaped
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2005
- Messages
- 2,040
A mirror patch is an area of urticating hairs on the abdomen that reflects light in a way that's different from the other hairs around it, so it looks like a shiny spot on a T's butt.
Sometimes they can be hard to see and to me frankly it just looks like a scab or something, but here is a pic where you can see it pretty clearly, it's the tan-ish looking spot on the abdomen:
http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/gallery/G-rosea.jpg
Maybe someone else can explain more of the science behind it though.
Karen
Sometimes they can be hard to see and to me frankly it just looks like a scab or something, but here is a pic where you can see it pretty clearly, it's the tan-ish looking spot on the abdomen:
http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/gallery/G-rosea.jpg
Maybe someone else can explain more of the science behind it though.
Karen
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2005
- Messages
- 382
Davus fasciatus comes to mind. BTW there's a lot of info on the mirror patch if you would care to use the search function...I was wondering this a while back and found answers through the search.
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2005
- Messages
- 471
can someone post a picture of what a mirror patch looks like?
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2004
- Messages
- 3,783
You can see it here:wolfpak said:
- Joined
- May 1, 2004
- Messages
- 2,290
Here's the one on my female Homoeomma sp. "Blue". It's really obvious on her, almost as much so as an Avicularia versicolor. My Grammostola aureostriata also has a nice one.
pitbulllady
pitbulllady
Attachments
Last edited:
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2005
- Messages
- 188
a contribution from my G rosea
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2005
- Messages
- 471
does all tarantula species have this mirror patch :?
- Joined
- May 1, 2004
- Messages
- 2,290
No, just certain New World spiders, among them the Grammostola and Paraphysa.wolfpak said:
pitbulllady
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2005
- Messages
- 312
I reckon if you wanna see a mirror patch, check out the Thrixopelma Cyaneum
here...
and this is not from kicking them at me, he's just allways had a huge mirror patch, and it shines a lovely gold color aswell
here...
and this is not from kicking them at me, he's just allways had a huge mirror patch, and it shines a lovely gold color aswell
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 111
Here are a few shots from different angles to show how the light is reflected. Excuse the low quality pics (Phonecam )
(Click for bigger image)
)
(Click for bigger image)
- Joined
- May 1, 2004
- Messages
- 2,290
Varden said:
A mirror patch isn't "bare". It has urticating hairs covering it, but those hairs are reflective. It probably serves as some type of warning to predators, especially birds, that the T would not make a very good meal. Tarantulas with actual bare patches on their abdomens are common in New World species, usually because they are either in pre-moult or because they tend to be more nervous and flick hairs a lot, and sometimes a mirror patch can fool someone who doesn't know better into thinking it's a bald spot, since it is usually so different from the surrounding hairs. A bare patch is NOT a mirror patch, since it's not reflective nor does it even have hairs covering it. If a spider has a bald, flaky or "scabby" spot on its abdomen, this usually means it either needs a moult or that it even has a fungal infection.
pitbulllady
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2005
- Messages
- 471
is it obvious on a newly molted T ?
- Joined
- Sep 30, 2005
- Messages
- 111
In my pics of the C.cyaneopubescens above, she is freshly moltedwolfpak said: