#chalcodes

My new tarantula, Kaachan ❤️

Aphonopelma chalcodes. Arizona Blonde Tarantula.

Quick #sketch of my Aphonopelma chalcodes tarantula (swipe for reference + more of Ochoa)! It's less obvious in a still image, but if you ever see a tarantula walk, you might think that they have 10 legs. In tarantulas and their relatives, the #pedipalps (the two limbs right next to Ochoa's fangs) are quite long and stocky, compared to other types of spiders, and they seem to use these to hold their weight, along with their 8 regular legs. In all other types of spiders I've personally seen, the palps are usually held up off the ground, kind of like small arms/hands. That said, there are a ton of spiders in the world, and I'm curious if any others use their palps to walk! . As for the sketch, I messed up the proportion of the eyes - they are of course much smaller than I drew them. Perhaps I'm too used to jumping spiders' puppy dog eyes. . For those curious, Ochoa is named after Ellen Ochoa, the first Hispanic women to go to space! . 🕷️: #Aphonopelma #chalcodes 🌎: Southwestern USA, Mexico 📆: 2018-12-16 📷: Moto X4 . #naturePhotography #exploreTinyWorlds #sciComm #bugwatching #arthropod #arachnid #arachnids #arachnology #arachnidsofig #arachnidsofinstagram #spidersofig #spidersofinstagram #spidersoftheworld #spider #spiderPhotography #spiders #tarantula #theraphosidae #mygalomorphae #mygalomorph #sciArt https://www.instagram.com/p/BriZqwdnDnH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=wu0b6vunihn5

My Aphonopelma Chalcodes adult female, Venus...