Species Hysterocrates hercules

squamata99

Arachnosquire
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Feb 20, 2007
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I purchased this male as a hyster. hercules years ago from a friend - alive back then. A lot of people say that all the hercules on price lists are in fact gigas. I have a mature male gigas as a comparison - not a very good pic. The gigas is smaller and has skinnier leg tips than the "hercules".
 
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Michael Jacobi

ARACHNOCULTURE MAGAZINE
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Despite what you may have heard, been told, or seen represented on dealers price lists or Internet forums, the giant spider of the Niger delta, Hysterocrates hercules has NEVER been in the hobby. You and I have never seen a live one, let alone owned one.

But... I have now seen a dead one... here is the real deal... Pocock's type specimen in the spirit collections of the British Museum of Natural History. Special thanks to curator Janet Beccaloni for allowing me to visit this incredible collection and Stuart Longhorn who gave me a tour of the Darwin Centre and delivered me, along with BMNH fellow Andrew Smith, to where Boris Striffler, Richard Gallon and Ray Gabriel where busily examing and photographing specimens. Viewing all of the type specimens located at the BMNH was an incredible treat. Additional photos will be placed in the Animal Excursions subforum of this site. Photograph of me holding H. hercules type is by Ray Gabriel.



Cheers, Michael
 

Stylopidae

Arachnoking
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Despite what you may have heard, been told, or seen represented on dealers price lists or Internet forums, the giant spider of the Niger delta, Hysterocrates hercules has NEVER been in the hobby. You and I have never seen a live one, let alone owned one.

But... I have now seen a dead one... here is the real deal... Pocock's type specimen in the spirit collections of the British Museum of Natural History. Special thanks to curator Janet Beccaloni for allowing me to visit this incredible collection and Stuart Longhorn who gave me a tour of the Darwin Centre and delivered me, along with BMNH fellow Andrew Smith, to where Boris Striffler, Richard Gallon and Ray Gabriel where busily examing and photographing specimens. Viewing all of the type specimens located at the BMNH was an incredible treat. Additional photos will be placed in the Animal Excursions subforum of this site. Photograph of me holding H. hercules type is by Ray Gabriel.



Cheers, Michael
Did you examine the specimen?
 

C_Strike

Arachnobaron
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I would like to say, congratulations with the BTS lectures, i was there and thoroughly enjoyed every moment.
Also thats very interesting to know, very frequently have i seen them for sale...apprently lol
 

CedrikG

Arachnoking
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Great stuff michael, real good stuff! Let us know your observation of this specimen

PS Those who sell Hysterocrates hercules really dont know what they're talking about! lol ...

Heres a quote from Richard
So what's the score with captive Hysterocrates?

Hysterocrates ederi
This was the first species available in the hobby and was imported only once by Charpentier from Bioko Island (it does not occur on mainland Africa). This was widely captive bred at the time.

Hysterocrates gigas
This was the next species imported from mainland Africa, Cameroon. Males and young mature females have a thickened tibia on leg IV. Ironically this species is probably not the real gigas, but is "pet trade gigas". However really large females loose the thickened tibia IV (and were often sold as H. hercules). Now you understand why your "real hercules" spiderlings have got thickened tibia IV!!

Hysterocrates crassipes
Also imported from Cameroon/Nigeria. Seems to have an entirely thick leg IV. (I haven't got any specimens of these in alcohol yet).

Hysterocrates scepticus, H. apostolicus, H. didymus
These were imported into the USA from Sao Tome island (they do not occur on mainland Africa). Were bred, but very few made it into Europe and they seem to have died out in USA too.

Hysterocrates hercules
Recently imported from Nigeria. These specimens (male and female) have really thin leg IV even when young (never have thickened tibia IV), and have dark femurs. But these aren't real hercules either!!
 

Crotalus

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Hysterocrates hercules
Recently imported from Nigeria. These specimens (male and female) have really thin leg IV even when young (never have thickened tibia IV), and have dark femurs. But these aren't real hercules either!!
So what are they? That quote is a little confusing to say the least
 

CedrikG

Arachnoking
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You'll have to ask Richard, lol.

He probably mean that the spider imported as "Hysterocrates hercules" are'nt the real Hysterocrates hercules that we find in the wild.

anyway ... theres no key for this genus, no Hysterocrates sp. are idable
 

Gigas

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This is the honest to god truth, last time I was at the natural history museum I was going to go to the Darwin centre solely to look at the Hysterocrates gigas specimens they had. but unfortunately it was after 3 pm on a week day nad I wasn't allowed in even to speak to anyone!!!1 this was in December of last year. Thought never crossed my mind again untill now.
I Hope all of you complete whatever work your wanting to do and maybe even make an ID key, who knows ;)
 

Steve Nunn

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Nice one Mike :) A truly amazing place to visit. Hey, she's big, isn't she ;) Without doubt a spider that would put many a T.blondi to shame and if they were in the hobby, we'd have seen piccies of the giants.

Steve
 

Natemass

Arachnolord
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how big was it and when is someone going to get those buggers in the hobby!
 

Michael Jacobi

ARACHNOCULTURE MAGAZINE
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when is someone going to get those buggers in the hobby!
When you hire a large contingent of mercenaries and special forces commandos, do a HALO (high-altitude, low-opening) parachute drop into the upper Niger Delta (probably the most dangerous place on Earth), avoid the gunboats and forests full of soldiers that will kill all but their own, find the monsters and wait for your gunship extraction team... {D The region is very hostile with the local warloads none too keen on outsiders, especially due to the petroleum interests in the area.

Cheers, Michael
 
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Arachnophilist

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what was the legspan of the specimen you saw Michael? I am guessing they recorded it before it went in the jar.:?
 

FryLock

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what was the legspan of the specimen you saw Michael? I am guessing they recorded it before it went in the jar.:?

Pocock did (taken from Smith's Baboon spiders book) length 90mm Carapace 36mm x30mm, leg I 81mm, leg IV 90mm gives an idea to over all size.

BTW: Very nice pic's there Michael and im sure the one's of Ray and Richard will come in handly as always :D.
 

CedrikG

Arachnoking
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Just one thing, saying that no Hysterocrates hercules been imported or not is impossible to tell, how can we know what African export at all time, especially when no Hysterocrates sp. are idable, heh.

This said, it would be very great that you share your observation of this specimen, im very curious
 

Crotalus

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Nice one Mike :) A truly amazing place to visit. Hey, she's big, isn't she ;) Without doubt a spider that would put many a T.blondi to shame and if they were in the hobby, we'd have seen piccies of the giants.

Steve
The measurements in the old T ID Guide is not so impressive - length 74mm, carapace 34x30mm. Big for a Hysterocrates but not so impressive to the real heavyweights in SA. I do believe the scepticus might be just as big, why everyone believe hercules is the largest beats me since they are not in the hobby (or supposedly not in the hobby). Perhaps the name makes them the largest ... ;)

/Lelle
 
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