Tmesiphantes hypogeus sp. nov. (Araneae, Theraphosidae), the first troglobitic tarantula from Brazil

Abstract

A new species of Tmesiphantes Simon, 1892, is described from sandstone/quartizitic caves of Chapada Diamantina, Bahia State, Brazil. This is the fifth species of the genus and the first record of a troglobitic mygalomorph in Brazil. A key is presented for all Tmesiphantes species.

Bistriopelma, a new genus with two new species from Peru (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae)

“…This new taxon differed from known species, except the genus Phrixotrichus Simon 1889 (sensu and the troglobite species Tmesiphantes hypogeus Bertani, Bichuette & Pedroso 2013, in the presence of two abdominal dorsolateral patches of the type III urticating setae. Later, in September 2014, a single female of this species was found during the field work near Puquio, Ayacucho, Peru.…”

“…However, both patches are located in posterior half of abdomen (contra middle of abdomen in Bistriopelma gen. nov. and Phrixotrichus). As the male of Tmesiphantes hypogeus is unknown, this species was putatively included in Tmesiphantes because of the almost circular sternum, the low number of labial cuspules, the presence of the type III urticating setae, widely separated seminal receptacles that taper to their apex and the geographical affinity (Bertani et al 2013).…”

“…The biogeographical regionalisation follows Morrone (2014 Bertani, Bichuette & Pedroso 2013, in the presence of two abdominal dorsolateral patches of the type III urticating setae, each with a stripe of long reddish-brown thicker setae, arranged diagonally to the longitudinal body axis. Bistriopelma gen nov. can be distiguished from Phrixotrichus by the shape of spermathecae in females, consisting of two separate subparallel seminal receptacles in Bistriopelma gen. nov. but strongly divergent in Phrixotrichus, by the different morphology of the male palpal bulb having the embolus projecting retrolaterhaving the embolus projecting retrolaterally from tegulum (contra posteriorly in Phrixotrichus, Figures 32−33), furthermore by the presence of basal spine on prolateral tibial apophysis (absent in Phrixotrichus), the absence of the type IV urticating setae and by paired tarsal claws denticulate (smooth in Phrixotrichus); from Tmesiphantes hypogeus by the position of urticating seta patch in the middle of abdomen (contra in posterior half in Tmesiphantes hypogeus), the well-developed scopulae on metatarsi I and II covering 90−100% of this leg segment (contra 30% in tarsi I and II in T. hypogeus), the presence of scopulae on metatarsi IV covering 25−30% of this leg segment in Bistriopelma gen. nov. (absent in T. hypogeus) and the different shape of spermathecae (long seminal receptacles with subapical constriction in Bistriopelma gen. nov. contra short, subtriangular and widely separated in T. hypogeus).…”

The Impact of Geomorphology and Human Disturbances on the Faunal Distributions in Tiquara and Angico Caves of Campo Formoso, Bahia, Brazil

“…In the recent years also remarkable discoveries on Brazilian cave fauna have been published, especially from the North-east caves (Trajano & Bichuette 2010;Bertani 2013;Prevorcnik , 2012;Ázara & Ferreira, 2014). The occurrences of troglobites, high biodiversity and other peculiar ecological characteristics are some of the biological criteria accepted by the international community to determine the priority for protection of the underground passages (Trajano & Bichuette, 2010).…”

A new species of Tmesiphantes (Araneae, Theraphosidae) from the state of Pará, Brazil

“…Guadanucci & silva (2012) described the first two species registered outside the Atlantic Forest domain, from the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil: T. perp known by male and a female and T. riopretano based only on a male. Recently, Bertani et al (2013) described T. hypogeus, based on two females collected in the Gruna da Parede Vermelha and Gruna das Cobras, also from Bahia.…”