30.10.2022

"Haplopelma aureopilosum" = Ornithoctonus aureotibialis by von Wirth & Striffler 2005.

Recently we got a request from Dominic Albrecht if we could identify an undetermined Ornithoctoninae for him, which he got from an import under the name "Haplopelma aureopilosum". He sent us the exuvia of the spider (unfortunately without carapace) and we could indeed identify it quite quickly.

The following characteristics identified the spider as a member of the Ornithoctoninae subfamily:

- retrolateralside of chelicerae with scopula of feathered hairs and -bristles (Pic 1).

- Stridulatoring organ between outer side of chelicerae and inner side of Palp (Pic 2).

Within the Ornithoctoninae it was then very quickly clear that it must be a member of the Ornithoctonus Genus due to the following combination of features:

- Outer side of chelicerae with a large field of feathered Setae, above it basally with a field of feathered bristles (Pic 1, large green circle). Below this field of feathered Setae are no more than 4 large, strong stridulation setae (Pic 1, small green circle).

- Palpcoxa with spines above suture (Pic 2, green circle), below with a double row of stridulatoring spines, preceded centrally by a stout spine.

- Sternum distinctly longer than wide (Pic 3).

- 7 spines on metatarsus IV. 2 spines dorsally and 5 spines ventrally and medially (Pic 4, green arrows). The number deviates somewhat from the standard in this genus, as normally members of this genus possess no more than 6 spines. The spine on the far left of the picture is normally absent.

The following characteristics identify this spider as a member of the species Ornithoctonus aureotibialis von Wirth & Striffler 2005:

- Undivided spermathecae with a dent in the middle that does not extend significantly lower than half the height of the spermathecae (Pic 5).

- Outside of patella and tibiae of frontlegs with distinct dense area of orange hairs (Pic 6).

Resumé:

The present exuvium belongs to the species Ornithoctonus aureotibialis described by von Wirth and Striffler in 2005. From the other two described Ornithoctonus species, namely O. andersoni and O. costalis, it differs significantly with respect to the shape of the spermathecae and to the coloration of the outer side of the patella and tibiae of the frontlegs. The combination of the above generic characteristics distinguishes it from all other genera of Ornithoctoninae. In this respect the sales name "Haplopelma aureopilosum" was completely wrong, because it differs considerably from the genus Haplopelma (e.g. with respect to the number of spines on metatarsus IV, which in Haplopelma contains more than 10 Spines). The name "aureopilosum" is also not valid because there is no officially described species under this name.

Reference:

von Wirth, V. & Striffler, B. F. (2005). Neue Erkenntnisse zur Vogelspinnen -- Unterfamilie Ornithoctoninae, mit Beschreibung von Ornithoctonus aureotibialis sp. n. und Haplopelma longipes sp. n. (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Arthropoda 13(2): 2-27.