Kotzman's Birdspider and Phlogius sp. Sarina bred

It is interesting to compare the different mating behaviours displayed by different species of tarantula. The Kotzman's Birdspider has afast and furious mating style. The picture below of the mating is the first one ever taken of the first mating in captivity. The Phlogius sp. "Sarina", by comparison, has a more gentle approach to the nuptuals. There are several unique characters displayed by the Kotzman's Birdspider in its mating rituals when compared to the Phlogius genus but I will leave a thorough analysis of that to my articles I am preparing for Thula which is the AIF bi-annual journal.

Kotzman's Birdspider - first mating picture by Charles Senescall

The Australian species, Phlogius sp. Sarina mating. These very large tarantulas showed no agression during he mating process. Picture by Charles Senescall

Overseas visitors should note that Australian tarantulas do not have tibial mating spurs and therefore the male clasps the female in a different manner to the hold you may be more used to seeing. Typically the male holds the female by squeezing her chelicera together with Leg I and holding her secure down over the top of her carapace. He then generally places Leg II between the females Leg I and II (although sometimes over leg I, II or III). The female bends at the abdomen up to 90 degrees in this hold and exposes her genital area making access by the males pedipalps a little easier. This is well illustrated in the photographs I took above.