Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » Mygalomorphs (Mygalomorphae) » Tarantulas (Theraphosidae) » Aphonopelma » Desert Blond Tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes)
Photo#305237
Tarantula - Aphonopelma chalcodes
Copyright © 2009 adesignforlife

Tarantula - Aphonopelma chalcodes
Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, USA
July 15, 2009
Crawling in our backyard at about 9PM. My mediocre internet searches are indicating that it's a Mexican Blonde Tarantula (or one of the other names that species is known by), but it's hard to tell because of the difference in color scheme depending on the picture.

Images of this individual: tag all
Tarantula - Aphonopelma chalcodes Tarantula - Aphonopelma chalcodes
Contributed by adesignforlife on 16 July, 2009 - 5:54pm
Last updated 24 July, 2009 - 2:25pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Lynette Elliott, 24 July, 2009 - 2:25pm

Sure looks like Aphonopelma chalcodes
Only one picture on the guide though! I think its a male, females are supposed to be all one color, a light uniform tan and males have that shiny copperish carapace. Goes by the desert blonde, arizona blonde, and mexican blonde I believe.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/85108/bgimage
… Natalie Hernandez, 16 July, 2009 - 10:14pm

 
I agree, A. Chalcodes. It's a
I agree, A. Chalcodes. It's a male. Males generally have smaller abdomens and they also have tibial hooks on the undersides of their front legs at maturity. I'm not sure color has anything to do with gender.
… Chase Ambrosecchia, 19 July, 2009 - 12:57pm

 
Thanks for confirming!
I've googled it a little and its seems like just different individuals have different coloring.
… Natalie Hernandez, 19 July, 2009 - 1:57pm

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo