The
hunt for the Chicken Spider. This
is a transcript of the chat session, which took place on 16th
March 2002. It has been edited to remove some private messages and off
topic postings. Also removed are the hellos when other chatters log in.
A full list of who was online during this chat session can be found at
the bottom of the page. The chat started officially at 9.00pm and
finished at 10.00pm. Many of us remained online until the early hours of
the morning. Mark
Pennell BTS webmaster. 9.00pm*btswebmaster
OK lets start talking - Welcome to The BTS chat room and to Martin
Nicholas. Kukulkania:
So, from what genus do we
hypothesize these Chicken Spiders come from? Rick_C._West:
Pamphobeteus antinous ... isn't it, Martin? spiderhunter:
the truth is that we simply don't
know what this, we do know that is not anitious as the rear leg is too
fat. Rick_C._West:
There is an 'antinous' look-alike
in Peru that Rogerio Bertani is describing. spiderhunter:
Genus is most likely Pamphobeteus,
Xenethis, possibly Acanthascurria. spiderhunter:
Antinious is certainly in the
region (Madres Dios) as I found it last time, but the C.S is something
else Kukulkania:
Size? Guessing the scale of the
pictures, but 8" or so, adult size? spiderhunter:
K, the largest C.S. we pinned
down had a legspan of 10.7" and this was not exceptional Rick_C._West:
How long do you go in the field
for Martin on this trip? spiderhunter:
Rick, trip is to be around 3
weeks. Sam:
Martin. When exactly are you
going on your trip? Are you taking anybody else other than film crew? spiderhunter:
Actually its going to be a Radio
Documentary, Sam (a bit odd I know but.) Rick_C._West:
How does that work ... never
heard of that? spiderhunter:
It works as an audio diary, with
interviews, descriptive stuff etc. Rick_C._West:
So we don't get a chance to SEE
you in the field/jungle with the spiders ... just hear an audio from the
field? Sorry never heard of this so excuse the questions. Kukulkania:
Wish I could come along on one of
these trips as a lackey/understudy, or whatever ... These types of trips
are the things my dreams are made of. spiderhunter:
I am also hoping to get the
Chicken Spider stridulating on tape (that should to be fun) spiderhunter:
I am told, that I have a face for radio, Rick. So lots of still shots
hopefully to get published later. Sam:
Martin. When exactly are you
going on your trip? Are you taking anybody else? spiderhunter:
Sam, I leave on Sunday the 24th
March (real soon!) and I am taking my partner Julie Chuter with me. (Top
Zoologist and all round good egg). Kukulkania:
Wow! These are some impressive
spiders, huh? spiderhunter:
They really are impressive, and
interestingly are not really urticaceous. Sam:
What sort of season is it in Peru
at the moment Martin? spiderhunter:
Its the end of the rainy season
at the moment, hopefully very near the end! Kukulkania:
Like the T. blondi, they prefer
to construct burrows on inclines near a water source, if I remember
correctly? Kukulkania:
CS = Chicken Spider. Rick_C._West:
Martin, have you seen the
examples of frogs living commensally in the CS burrows? spiderhunter:
CS=Chicken Spider yes. And I
mostly found them well away from the river, up in the Terra Firma Forest
and around the villages where they get their reputation. spiderhunter:
Rick, do you know Jolene Czansky? Kukulkania:
And they are opportunistic
burrowers, taking over rodent spiderhunter:
Yes opportunist mostly, no
evidence of self-built like most South American Thera's Rick_C._West:
No, is this someone from the
Tambopata / Manu region? Why do you ask? spiderhunter:
Jolene has been studying the
symbiosis between a theraphosid and a frog in the region (it will make
fascinating reading when complete) Sam:
Silly question, but how can you
tell whether a T has taken over a burrow or made it itself? spiderhunter:
Sam, easy in the far east because of
the thick silk, difficult in the new world because they lay down little.
Trick is look during day for possible burrows then go back at night when
they should be at their burrow mouths. Rick_C._West:
I have read the paper, and
received photos from, Cocroft who worked on the commensal relationship
between a narrow-mouth frog (toad?) and the CS. Also, he noted that
instars stay with the female in the same burrow until very large in size
... watching a predation has not been seen yet. Sam:
Martin, I mean how can you tell
whether a T has converted a burrow from a rodent burrow or built it from
scratch? spiderhunter:
Sam, sorry yes a purpose built is
often a perfect circle, rodent burrows are often scraped and too large
for the spider they house spiderhunter:
Rick, I'll E-mail you RE: The
microhylid toad relationship it is very involved. Rick_C._West:
thank you. Rick_C._West:
I've witnessed other theraphosid
species/microhylid from relationships in other S.Amer. Countries. Rick_C._West:
er ... toad. Sam:
Is T. Blondi found in Peru? spiderhunter:
Sam, no T. blondi does not get
that far. (Despite what I said in my previous article) Schachmeister:
Hi Martin. I refrained from
asking you a question as it looked like you were already fielding
several. In your own time then, what is your objective on the Peru trip? spiderhunter:
For everyone, The objective of
this trip is primarily to record a documentary for the BBC and in doing
so to find and describe the locally named "Chicken Spider" as
either a known species or something new. Schachmeister:
Martin: I read your article some
while ago in the BTS Journal and it was fascinating. It will be
brilliant if you can find the beast again and I for one wish you good
luck. spiderhunter:
Bless your heart Carl. Sam:
Another silly question, but why
do the locals call it the chicken spider? spiderhunter:
Sam, the story (true or untrue)
is that these huge thera's live around the little settlements that slash
and burn farmers make in the jungle, the legend is that these spiders
occasionally take the little scrub fowl chickens that they keep. spiderhunter:
I have also heard of the Monkey
Spider (I hope not for the same reason!) bony:
well there is a camel spider Sam:
Well, I suppose that if it does
get to 10.7" then it could be possible for it to take a chick. Schachmeister:
Martin: I have this absurd vision
of giant theraphosids riding chickens bareback through the jungle. Keep
a keen eye open my lad! Sam:
Martin, I suppose it is no different to calling African spiders
Baboon spiders I guess Rick_C._West:
The locals also call the large
tarantulas 'arana mona or monkey spider as it is generally the same
color as the Howler monkey. spiderhunter:
The Black not red Howler
presumably Rick? Rick_C._West:
When you go on your trips, do you
photograph the tarantulas you see? Do you take a camcoder? spiderhunter:
Oh, Rick - I also found a small Avicularia last time (no idea which as
it was in a bromeliad 10ft up) Rick_C._West:
In Brazil, some call them 'crab
spiders' because the tarantula walks like a crab?! ... Go figure? spiderhunter:
Too much local Chicha i think! Rick_C._West:
In Venezuela ... it's the red Howler, but, I would assume the black in
Peru. Kukulkania:
Sometimes I like to think of
tarantulas as carnivorous crabs... Sam:
Rick, could those crab
spiders be huntmen? They do look a lottle like crabs (well if you squint
your eyes a lot they do). The crab spiders that I know of are the ones
that hide in flowers for bees. Rick_C._West:
In these countries, Martin will tell you that any big spider to a local
IS a tarantula. Schachmeister:
I had the same experience in Ecuador. The locals ran a mile from almost
any spider! Rick_C._West:
In Venezuela ... it's the red Howler, but, I would assume the black in
Peru. spiderhunter:
No, Red Howler in Peru, you
should hear them (eariest sound I ever heard!) Rick_C._West:
Yes, a band of Howlers at 4-5am
is like a roaring jaguar in heat!! spiderhunter:
That is certainly true, bird
spider chicken spider, monkey spider etc. Rick_C._West:
Martin, do the locals fear the
tarantula or pay it no mind? Sam:
I suppose we shouldn't laugh at locals for running from spiders when
many grown men over here do the same thing. bony:
their spiders are much bigger than ours. Schachmeister:
Sam: Very true but men over here
don't have six inch spider just above their heads whilst sleeping. LOL spiderhunter:
They regard the Chicken Spider
with some fear, but do not seem to worry about huntsmen spiders or
indeed the pink toe's Sam:
Is the CS aggressive in any way. spiderhunter:
Sam, the CS is not as aggressive
as say a Baboon Spider or "Earth Tiger" think of T. blondi
without the urticating hairs. Sam:
What colouration does the C. S.
have? spiderhunter:
The Chicken Spider is a dark
Brown - Black with white bands above the chelicerae and a very thick leg
four which makes it different from the other spider of the region
Pamphobeteus antinoius *btswebmaster
Ok 15 minutes left to the end of the chat session. Rick_C._West:
bummer. Kukulkania:
yeah! Schachmeister:
Martin: If you do find this spider again, what is the plan? Are you
going to (legally of course) bring a specimen back for study or will it
be a BBC filming trip only? spiderhunter:
The plan is to bring back a
single specimen for identification purposes (all paperwork is in place -
in triplicate as usual!) Rick_C._West:
I've never needed to obtain
permits for Peru as I've only taken out photos? bony:
Are there photos of this species? Yuri:
I am sorry if this has been asking before but what was the size of the
largest specimen you found. spiderhunter:
Yuri, no problem. The largest
specimen measured on the last trip had a leg span of 10.7" Photos
of this spider are in the downloadable form on the BTS website. poss:
I understand eastern Peru is at the peak of its rainy season right now,
wont this slow things down? spiderhunter:
High rains mean high rivers and
as we are going to be travelling by boat this is preferable to getting
beached on sand-banks due to low water (been there before in Borneo!). Schachmeister:
Rain giveth life. New life means
insects. Insects means spiders...get in there Martin. poss:
I was born and raised there, left
at 18,back often. Sam:
I knew somebody once who was from
Peru. Their favourite animal was the scorpion. What sort of other bugs
out in Peru did you see Martin? spiderhunter:
Sam, there are so many its hard
to list most amazing was the colonial caterpillars -bright Red and
yellow - very poisonous! Rick_C._West:
yikes ... the 'real wildlife' sounds spiderhunter:
Only for spiders, Rick! By the
way what part of Peru did you get to? Rick_C._West:
Martin, I mainly cover the Iquitos, Rio Tigre, Rio Ucayali region. Rick_C._West:
I may get to Tambopata later this year on a project. *btswebmaster:
10.00 pm The end of the chat session. Schachmeister:
Just as I was getting tired. I am
old and one hour ahead of UK so I need my shuteye. Needless to say I
thoroughly enjoyed all your company - and Martin, I wish you
every success with your trip. I look forward to hearing, reading and
seeing it! Bye bye. Everyone then continued to Thank Martin for his time. We then carried on chatting with an open chat about tarantulas. Chatters online: |