Pre-molt young female curly hair tarantula (Brachypelma albopilosum) expanding and contracting legs prior to molt. Click/double click to enlarge.
About halfway through her molt. Click/double click to enlarge.
Nearing the end! Click/double click to enlarge.
Spermathecal development from her exoskeleton (November 5, 2012 molt). It took quite a bit of work with the sharpness, contrast, saturation, definition and highlights to get this image. It certainly shows much stronger contrast than one would see using a microscope. Click image to enlarge.
Spermathecal development from her exoskeleton (January 29, 2013 molt). Note the increased sclerotization that has occurred over the past 2 1/2 months. Everything is significantly larger, shows up well, and gender can be determined with the naked eye. Minimal processing required this time. Click/double click image to enlarge.
The end result the day after the molt. Slightly smaller than a pencil eraser when she arrived in January, 2012, she has molted five times and now has a 3 1/2″ diagonal leg measurement. Click/double click image to enlarge.
Wonderful. Thank you.
Thanks as always, Lynne!