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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » Mygalomorphs (Mygalomorphae) » Tarantulas (Theraphosidae) » Aphonopelma » Desert Blond Tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes)
Photo#978770
Aphonopelma genus - Aphonopelma chalcodes - female
Copyright © 2014 Anne Baxter Johnson

Aphonopelma genus - Aphonopelma chalcodes - Female
Tucson, Arizona, USA
July 24, 2014
I found this individual at night outside her burrow. I am reluctant to call this one A. chalcodes because there are so many Aphonopelma sp. in the area. I am tempted because of coloration to think A. moderatum, but I really am not sure.
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Contributed by Anne Baxter Johnson on 16 August, 2014 - 11:53am
Last updated 3 December, 2016 - 4:10am

Moved
Moved from Aphonopelma.
… Kari J McWest, 3 December, 2016 - 4:10am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request.
… Tony Leukering, 3 September, 2014 - 11:42am login or register to post comments

I think...
It looks more A. chalcodes than A. moderatum due to the gold highlights. Of course, other Aphonopelma tarantulas share similar colors. Here is an individual that appears to be an A. moderatum which Jason found last year: Here is an Aphonopelma moderatum image: In generality, the Aphonopelma moderatum will not have black coloration on its femur.
… Chao "Jimmy" Wu, 16 August, 2014 - 1:04pm login or register to post comments

 
Aphonopelma female
She does indeed have the black coloration on the femur as you have suggested. Is chalcodes the only species that has this coloration?
… Anne Baxter Johnson, 17 August, 2014 - 10:05pm login or register to post comments

 
No
Lots of American Aphonopelma have the darkened femur. However, I don't know them all well enough to know of the variation.
I do know that Aphonopelma hentzi and Aphonopelma anax can sometimes have the black coloration.

Your individual has the stereotypical A. chalcodes "look" with the blonde highlights contrasted by black towards the abdominal section. Likewise, A. chalcodes is well known to be prevalent in the Tuscon area. However, a 100% accurate ID is still tricky.

I'm always fascinated by the number and variety of arachnids within Southern Arizona. Keep on posting any tarantulas you may see and, hopefully, we will someday get all these sorted out. Cheers!
… Chao "Jimmy" Wu, 17 August, 2014 - 10:10pm login or register to post comments

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