27.03.2022

An unknown Ornithoctoninae from an Import is an undescribed Haplopelma sp.!

Recently we had posted two articles on our THERAPHOSID RESEARCH TEAM Webpage reporting the first results of an identification of an import of tarantulas from Asia ( see here and here).

Thorsten Trapp kindly asked us to identify the animals he imported.

Here we report now the identity of the last unknown species from this import.

The 2 examined spiders obviously originate from Thailand but without further indication of a more exact locality (Pic 1). They also show all necessary characteristics of females of the genus Haplopelma (We follow the Data from von Wirth and Striffler 2005 and new unpublished results):

• Single-lobed undivided spermathecae, which are not or not dented up to half of their height.

• More than 8 spines on met. IV

• No spine-like setae above suture of palpcoxa pl

• Stridulatory organ on palpcoxa pl consists of small spines between suture and large spines below (except lividum). Stridulatory spines rather short and broad at base. The row of stridulatory spines continues downward toward the base of the coxa.

• Sternum oval (Pic 5)

Within the genus Haplopelma the following species are also distributed in Thailand/Manymar:

Haplopelma lividum, Haplopelma albostriatum, Haplopelma longipes, Haplopelma vonwirthi and Haplopelma minax (The present specimens were compared with the type specimens of the above species).

The present specimens differ from Haplopelma lividum by the absence of the intense iridescent blue coloration (Pic 1) and by the presence of a few small spines between the suture and the large stridulatory spines (Pic 2). Also by the shape of the spermatheca, which shows a distinct dent in the middle (Pic 3).

They differ from Haplopelma albostriatum by the absence of the distinct white stripes on the dorsal legs. Also by the different number of spines on Met. IV (albostriatum = 12; present specimens = 13) and by the shape of the spermathecae, which show a distinct dent in the middle.

The Specimens differ from Haplopelma longipes by the divided scopula on Met. IV (Pic 4) and by the not distinctly longer leg IV compared to leg I. Also, the present specimens do not possess a distinct dense hair brush of longer curved hairs on Met. IV dorsal apically. As well by the shape of the spermathecae, which shows a distinct dent in the middle.

The specimen differs from Haplopelma minax by the smaller number of stridulatory spines on the palpal coxa and by the shape of the spermatheca, which shows a distinct dent in the middle.

From Haplopelma vonwirthi the specimen differs only by the different number of spines on Met. IV (vonwirthi = 11) and by the dent in the middle of the spermatheca.

Resumè:

In the case of the two present specimens from Thailand, it will probably be an unknown Haplopelma species, which so far cannot be assigned to any of the described Haplopelma species, however, it seems to be most closely related to Haplopelma vonwirthi due to the morphological similarity to this species.

Reference:

Wirth, V. von & 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.