Aphonopelma hentzi is the most widespread and abundant tarantula species in the United States. While a distinct mating season is observed, it has not been well studied and the environmental drivers for the mating season are unknown. By conducting daily surveys on a peripheral population within Southeast Colorado, between August and November 2022, I found that after the first significant temperature drop, the number of mate-seeking males was significantly higher than prior to this temperature event. Mate-seeking males were significantly correlated with a drop in the water vapor pressure gradient, a rarely used biological metric for assessing potential water loss in an organism. Males were also significantly associated with the presence of cacti, and tarantula burrows were significantly clustered within the interior of the Comanche National Grassland, suggesting an association with certain vegetation cover. This study has implications for other edge populations and ectotherms and establishes a foundation for research on this species.
","abstract_html":"<p>Aphonopelma hentzi is the most widespread and abundant tarantula species in the United States. While a distinct mating season is observed, it has not been well studied and the environmental drivers for the mating season are unknown. By conducting daily surveys on a peripheral population within Southeast Colorado, between August and November 2022, I found that after the first significant temperature drop, the number of mate-seeking males was significantly higher than prior to this temperature event. Mate-seeking males were significantly correlated with a drop in the water vapor pressure gradient, a rarely used biological metric for assessing potential water loss in an organism. Males were also significantly associated with the presence of cacti, and tarantula burrows were significantly clustered within the interior of the Comanche National Grassland, suggesting an association with certain vegetation cover. This study has implications for other edge populations and ectotherms and establishes a foundation for research on this species.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Haselhuhn, Dallas"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Open Access Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Cara Shillington, Ph.D.","Allen Kurta, Ph.D.","Katherine Greenwald, Ph.D."],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2024,"date_issued":"2024-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2024-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:47Z","subjects":["ectotherm","edge population","mating season","phenology","tarantula","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1230","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Cara Shillington, Ph.D.","Allen Kurta, Ph.D.","Katherine Greenwald, Ph.D."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Haselhuhn, Dallas"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2024-06-14T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Open Access Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["ectotherm","edge population","mating season","phenology","tarantula","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1230"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Aphonopelma hentzi is the most widespread and abundant tarantula species in the United States. While a distinct mating season is observed, it has not been well studied and the environmental drivers for the mating season are unknown. By conducting daily surveys on a peripheral population within Southeast Colorado, between August and November 2022, I found that after the first significant temperature drop, the number of mate-seeking males was significantly higher than prior to this temperature event. Mate-seeking males were significantly correlated with a drop in the water vapor pressure gradient, a rarely used biological metric for assessing potential water loss in an organism. Males were also significantly associated with the presence of cacti, and tarantula burrows were significantly clustered within the interior of the Comanche National Grassland, suggesting an association with certain vegetation cover. This study has implications for other edge populations and ectotherms and establishes a foundation for research on this species.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Looking for love on a chilly night: The Colorado brown tarantula mating season"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Cara Shillington, Ph.D.","Allen Kurta, Ph.D.","Katherine Greenwald, Ph.D."],"dc:creator":["Haselhuhn, Dallas"],"dc:date.available":["2024-06-14T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Aphonopelma hentzi is the most widespread and abundant tarantula species in the United States. While a distinct mating season is observed, it has not been well studied and the environmental drivers for the mating season are unknown. By conducting daily surveys on a peripheral population within Southeast Colorado, between August and November 2022, I found that after the first significant temperature drop, the number of mate-seeking males was significantly higher than prior to this temperature event. Mate-seeking males were significantly correlated with a drop in the water vapor pressure gradient, a rarely used biological metric for assessing potential water loss in an organism. Males were also significantly associated with the presence of cacti, and tarantula burrows were significantly clustered within the interior of the Comanche National Grassland, suggesting an association with certain vegetation cover. This study has implications for other edge populations and ectotherms and establishes a foundation for research on this species.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://commons.emich.edu/theses/1230"],"dc:subject":["ectotherm","edge population","mating season","phenology","tarantula","Ecology and Evolutionary Biology"],"dc:title":["Looking for love on a chilly night: The Colorado brown tarantula mating season"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Open Access Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:17:47Z"}