Ceratogyrus darlingi (Purcell, 1902)

Entymology

Ceratogyrus (latin), horn + curved, bent”
darlingi named after the collector J.F. Darling

Introduction

The genus Ceratogyrus (Pocock, 1897) consists of 10 species;

brachycephalus Hewitt 1919
darlingi Pocock 1897
dolichocephalus Hewitt 1919
ezendami Gallon, 2001
hillyardi Smith 1990
marshalli Pocock 1897
meridionalis Hirst 1907
paulseni Gallon 2005
pillansi Purcell 1902
sanderi Strand 1906

Most members of this genus are easily recognized by the foveal protuberance ( “horn”) on the carapace. Recently this genus was revised (Gallon 2008) which includes species that lack this protuberance. Gallon also considered bechanicus to be junior synonym with darlingi. Most species do have a “horn” and it differs in size and angle between the species. The “horn” of darlingi points backwards-up, others straight up or forward. Exactly what function the horn have is unknown.

Above: Cross section of a Ceratogyrus foveal protuberance

In the terrarium

The areas where this species are found in the wild is dry and hot so the best way is to imitate those conditions in the terrarium. In the wild they burrow so keep them on a thick layer of peat. Standard terrarium measuring 30x30x30cm works well for this species and the others in the genus. Use unfertilized peat that can be found at the garden store – I use this substrate for all my spiders. Give it a water bowl so it can drink if it wants to. Put a piece of cork bark for shelter. Be prepared to not see the spider very often, they are skittish animals and hide fast when disturbed. Keep the temperature around 27c and spray the cage once a week.

Food

Give it insects such as crickets, cockroaches and grasshoppers. The size of the prey should be adjusted to the size of the spider. Small spiderlings can be fed with small new hatched crickets, or a larger prekilled cricket (if you cannot get hold of any tiny ones). Give a adult spider food 1-2 times a week, spiderlings a few times more. If the spider refuse to eat there can be a molt coming up, smaller spiders refuses food around a week before the acctual molt and larger spiders 2 weeks or more. This species grows fairly fast.

Handling

Ceratogyrus are usually aggressive spiders that could bite if picked up.
This is not a good beginner species.

References

Richard C. Gallon
On some poorly known African Harpactirinae, with notes on Avicuscodra arabica Strand, 1908 and Scodra pachypoda Strand, 1908 (Araneae, Theraphosidae).
Bull. Br. arachnol. Soc. (2008) 14 (5), 232–246