[Arachnology • 2011] Revalidation of Pterinopelma Pocock 1901 with description of a new species; Pterinopelma sazimai | and the female of Pterinopelma vitiosum (Keyserling 1891) (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae)

Pterinopelma sazimai sp. nov. 

Abstract

We revalidate the theraphosid genus Pterinopelma Pocock 1901, describe the female of P. vitiosum for first time and Pterinopelma sazimai sp. nov. from Brazil. These two species were included in a matrix with 35 characters and 32 taxa and were analyzed both with all characters having same weight and with implied weights. Searches considering all characters non-additive or some additive were also carried out. The preferred tree, obtained with implied weights, concavity 6 and all characters non-additive shows that Pterinopelma is a monophyletic genus sister to the clade Lasiodora (Vitalius + Nhandu). The presence of denticles on the prolateral inferior male palpal bulb keel is a synapomorphy of the genus.

Key words: Brazil, Cladistic analysis, Eurypelma, Eupalaestrus, taxonomy, Tarantula

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of Dr. Ivan Sazima, an important Brazilian zoologist who was the first researcher to collect exemplars of this species in the decades of 1970 and 1980. These specimens remained as the sole exemplars of the species known for a long time.

Distribution. Brazil, States of Bahia and Minas Gerais, on the "Serra do Espinhaço" range and its disjunctions (from 21°10' to 10° S). Natural history. Individuals were collected on campo rupestre areas (Figs 17–18), which are characterized by their height above sea level (above 900m), in association with a high degree of outcropping and consequent reduction of soil depth (Giulietti & Pirani 1988). Juveniles (Fig. 16) were found under rocks, during the day (25 °C and 64% relative humidity of air), on a campo rupestre area at about 1300m a.s.l. The female holotype was crossing a trail, in the afternoon (4 p.m.).

Bertani, R., Nagahama, R.H. and Fukushima, C.S. 2011. Revalidation of Pterinopelma Pocock 1901 with description of a new species and the female of Pterinopelma vitiosum (Keyserling 1891) (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae). Zootaxa. 2814: 1–18. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2011/f/zt02814p018.pdf

[Arachnology • 2009] Description of two new species of Avicularia Lamarck 1818; Avicularia sooretama & A. gamba | and redescription of Avicularia diversipes (C.L. Koch 1842) (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) – three possibly threatened Brazilian species

Abstract

Avicularia diversipes (C.L. Koch 1842) known previously only from its original description is redescribed along with Avicularia sooretama sp. nov. and Avicularia gamba sp. nov. The three species are endemic to Brazilian Atlantic rainforest.  With other Avicularia species, they share a procurved anterior eye row, slender embolus and medially folded spermathecae, whereas they have unusual characters, such as a very long and spiraled embolus (A. diversipes) and spermathecae with multilobular apex (A. sooretama sp. nov.). Furthermore, the three species lack a tibial apophysis in males and share a distinctive color pattern ontogeny that is not known in any other Avicularia species. The conservation status of the three species is discussed, especially with respect to endemism, illegal trafficking and habitat destruction. The creation of protected areas in southern State of Bahia, Brazil, is recommended, as well as the inclusion of these species in IUCN and CITES lists. Appendices with figures and species information are presented to facilitate correct specimen identification by custom officers, in order to limit illegal traffic. 

Key words: Tarantula conservation, Pet trade, Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, Protected areas, Taxonomy, Threatened species

Bertani R, Fukushima CS. 2009. Description of two new species of Avicularia Lamarck 1818 and redescription of Avicularia diversipes (C.L. Koch 1842) (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) – three possibly threatened Brazilian species. Zootaxa. 2223: 25–47. http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2009/f/zt02223p047.pdf

[Arachnology • 2012] Neoheterophrictus gen. nov. | A new genus of the family Theraphosidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) with description of three new species from the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India

Abstract

In this paper, a new genus Neoheterophrictus gen. nov., with three new species, Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus sp. nov., N. sahyadri sp. nov. and N. uttarakannada sp. nov., is described from Uttara Kannada District, Karnataka, India.  The new genus is close to Heterophrictus Pocock, 1900 and Plesiophrictus Pocock, 1899 but has multilobed spermathecae, which was consistent in all the three species and the males possessing double tibial spur.  Natural history information for all the species described is provided.  We transfer Plesiophrictus bhori Gravely, 1915 to Heterophrictus and synonymise P. mahabaleshwari Tikader, 1977 with Heterophrictus milleti Pocock, 1900.

Keywords: Eumernophorinae, Heterophrictus, new genus, new species, Plesiophrictus, tarantula, taxonomy, Theraphosidae.

Siliwal, M., N. Gupta and R. Raven. 2012. A New Genus of the Family Theraphosidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) with description of three new species from the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa. 4(14): 3233–3254

http://threatenedtaxa.org/ZooPrintJournal/2012/November/manju.htm

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