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A Steindachner's Ebony Tarantula at Crystal Cove

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I crossed paths with this fellow on a hike at Crystal Cove State Park this morning, along the Fenceline trail. I posted it to iNaturalist as soon as I got home, and within a few hours had it confirmed by several people: a male Steindachner's ebony tarantula (Aphonopelma steindachneri).

Turns out the timing wasn't a fluke. Males of this species leave their burrows specifically to search for mates between July and October, so this was a textbook-timed encounter rather than an unusual one — good to actually check that before assuming, since my first instinct was that a July sighting seemed early. After his photo session, I gently nudged him with a stick and he scurried off the trail into the chaparral, safe from being run over by a mountain biker or stomped by an arachnophobic hiker. 

Aphonopelma steindachneri is native to the coastal ranges of Southern California and northern Baja California, and it's one of the tarantulas you're genuinely most likely to run into if you spend time hiking the hills around LA or San Diego. Docile, slow-moving, velvet-black or deep brown in color, and considerably more interested in finding a burrow than bothering a hiker. Up till now I have only seen dead tarantulas on the trails. They are harmless despite their size and appearance. If you encounter one, please DO NOT kill it! 

Photograph of a Steindachner's ebony tarantula, Aphonopelma steindachneri, on a transparent background
Steindachner's Ebony Tarantula — Wild California Spider Photography

I shot this on my Pixel 10 XL, ran it through Topaz Gigapixel to enlarge it, and removed the background in Photoshop so the spider stands entirely on its own — real specimen photography rather than another cartoon Halloween spider.

For the tarantula keepers and naturalists among you who like a proper species ID, I also put together a second version labeled in the style of an old field guide plate — common name and scientific name, presented the way any properly identified specimen ought to be.

Photograph of a Steindachner's ebony tarantula labeled with common and scientific names on a specimen card, in the style of a field guide plate, transparent background
Steindachner's Ebony Tarantula — Scientific Specimen Photography

Available on Redbubble

Both versions are available at my Redbubble shop across the full product range — t-shirts, stickers, art prints, mugs, tote bags, and more.

Wild Photography Version on Redbubble

Specimen Card Version on Redbubble

You can find all my work at my Redbubble shop, KornKob Art. Or search Redbubble for kornkobart (one word).

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