10.06.2022

The right name for an unknown tarantula!

Kim Mandy Wöhler recently asked us to identify a tarantula of which she had no information about the origin or the name. She had received the animal from a friend who in turn had received the tarantula from another person who had to sell the Spider for private reasons. We then offered our help in identifying the Spider and shortly afterwards we received an exuvia of the unknown Specimen.

The identification then led to a quite clear result. This unknown tarantula is a Phormictopus atrichomatus Schmidt, 1991! After the revision of the genus Phormictopus by Rudloff (2008) the spider can be identified very well and clearly.

That it is a Phormictopus can be seen by the combination of the following characters:

- Femur IV retrolateral with distinct scopula. (Pic 1, yellow circle)

- Stridulatory organ of feathered bristles on coxae, trochanters of palps and first pair of legs (Pic 2 & 3, yellow circle)

- female with urticating hairs type I and III (Pic 7)

Of all the species in question, only Phormictopus atrichomatus could be in question, because only this species has a "spermathecae consisting of two basally connected, triangular receptacula" (Rudloff 2008) (Pic 4; Pic 5 Holotyp) . In addition, according to Rudloff, the bronze sheen of the carapace hairs is a further diagnostic character in comparison to, for example, Phormictopus cancerides. This character is also present (Pic. 6).

Resumé: Even the identification of a tarantula, without further information where it comes from or what it might be, is possible with a good revision, such as the one by Rudloff on the genus Phormictopus.

Reference:

Rudloff, J.-P. (2008). On the knowledge of the genus Phormictopus Pocock, 1901 - a faunal element of the Greater Antilles (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae). Arthropoda 15(4): 2-51

Schmidt, G. (1991). A new tarantula from Honduras Phormictopus atrichomatus sp. n. (Araneida: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae). Arachnologischer Anzeiger 11: 7-10.