An unexpected surprise

[Mark Newton]

I intended on having a good look about for spiders during one of my recent mallee trips as its a little outside of scorpion season. I wasn't disappointed. I found a burrow entrance about the size of a 20c piece amongst leaf litter underneath some mallee trees and dug it up. Gradually and very carefully making my way to the base, it wasnt too long before I noticed a pair of legs sticking out of the soil and I knew right away I was looking at a tarantula - WooHoo! I was in awe. I knew they had been found in SA, but wasnt aware they came this far south. I now know they have been recorded from NW Victoria and my location was NW of there, so it wasnt a southern record, but, nonetheless an amazing find. Continued searching did not locate any more, but I did manage to discover a couple of undescribed species of other spiders in the process.
This tarantula is most likely Selenotholus stirlingi (formerly in the genus Selenocosmia). This one may not quite be an adult as yet, at only about 40mm body length.

 

[Tim.Arm]

Awsome find. And nice shoots.

 

[cracksinthepitch]

Awesome find mark. did you get any photos of the burrow entrance so i might be able to find one next trip.

 

[Mark Newton]

Awesome find mark. did you get any photos of the burrow entrance so i might be able to find one next trip.

Not of the burrow itself as I was not expecting a theraphosid. Basically just mallee scrub on softish dune sand. The burrow was in leaf litter under a typical mallee tree, hole about the size of a 20c piece.

 

[cracksinthepitch]

What were the other spiders you saw?Cheers
Any ideas what this one is. It wasnt found near water and was fairly Quick like a Swift.

 

[mrmikk]

Fantastic photos, what camera and lense are you using?

 

[Mark Newton]

What were the other spiders you saw?Cheers
Any ideas what this one is. It wasnt found near water and was fairly Quick like a Swift.

I'm not familiar with that spider...generally I need help with most spiders, I'm a scorpiologist, my spider knowledge is pretty limited. Other spiders I found were ID by SA museum as being 2 undescribed species of Lycosid

This is one of them.......

My what big eyes you have. 2x stereo vision - front and sides

The male of the species:

 

[Mark Newton]

Fantastic photos, what camera and lense are you using?

Thanks......I use a Nikon D50 digital SLR with macro lens, Kiron 105mm (X1.52) f2.8 1:1 + Metz 45CT4 flash gun.

 

[Justdriftnby]

Mate I just want to congratulate you on some fantastic photos, the detail is beyond words, Well Done

 

[cracksinthepitch]

Wicked photo. I took a photo of a Eriophora Transmarina in my front yard.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...ch-picture302-4-eyes-hiding-wheel-weaver.html
Hope this works

 

[Mark Newton]

Wicked photo. I took a photo of a Eriophora Transmarina in my front yard.
http://www.aussiepythons.com/forum/...ch-picture302-4-eyes-hiding-wheel-weaver.html
Hope this works

Quite a good shot...if you run a levels adjustment over it, you could make it pop. Very similar to the bird-dropping spider..

 

[Mark Newton]

Mate I just want to congratulate you on some fantastic photos, the detail is beyond words, Well Done

Thankyou.....

 

[cracksinthepitch]

Here's a bird dung

 

[urodacus_au]

Nice one Newt, good find. Ive found similar animals over here in WA. Seem to be few and far between on the ground, the burrows are obvious but spread out. Nowhere near the density that some of the other Mygals and Urodacids can be found in.

The Lycosid photos are unreal, the white background really brings out the detail.
Cheers
Jordan

 

[Mark Newton]

Nice one Newt, good find. Ive found similar animals over here in WA. Seem to be few and far between on the ground, the burrows are obvious but spread out. Nowhere near the density that some of the other Mygals and Urodacids can be found in.

The Lycosid photos are unreal, the white background really brings out the detail.
Cheers
Jordan

Hey Jordan....How is ya? You absolutely sure you have found T's in WA??? Any images?

 

[urodacus_au]

Found them in a couple of places, a good 1000kms apart though I might have an old photo of one of the first i found only a few hours from Perth, never got the chance to take more, DEC took the female when they raided.

See what i can find.....
Jordan

 

[Mark Newton]

Found them in a couple of places, a good 1000kms apart though I might have an old photo of one of the first i found only a few hours from Perth, never got the chance to take more, DEC took the female when they raided.

See what i can find.....
Jordan

Thats very interesting, I wasnt aware T's were found in WA, especially not southern WA. Is it likely to be stirlingi?

 

[RedEyeGirl]

cool.I love feeding the trapdoors and the really big ones with the yellow webs ants.They are soooooooo fast

 

[urodacus_au]

I always figured them to be stirlingi or something similar but didnt get the chance to really have a look. I havent done much with the inverts lately, hard to get involved with DEC's rediculous laws.

Heres an old, crappy pic of a female Thera from a few hours east of Perth.....

I know people in the herp game who have come across Theras in areas where i have found them, they seem to have a fairly wide range but can be patchy.
Jordan

 

[Mark Newton]

Crikey, they are far more widespread than I thought. I wonder if anyone has ever looked closely at them? Thanks Jordan....has shown me something.