Odd Cobalts

[reptist]

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]

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

[Truff135]

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]

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]

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

[Crazy0monkey]

Originally Posted by Truff135

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

[Cheshire]

Could it just be the sling coloration?

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

[Mina]

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]

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, ?????????

Fresh molted pen. Male


Female



Female H albostriatum

[ChrisNCT]

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

[Truff135]

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]

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

[Topcat1]

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]

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.

[Cheshire]

Originally Posted by reptist

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.