Psalmopoeus

Psalmopoeus irminia

Psalmopoeus (translated "Psalm poet ", the German individual species are sometimes called "Ornament tarantulas " ) is a genus of tarantulas ( Theraphosidae ). It was erected by Pocock cambridgei based on the type Psalmopoeus in 1895. The trivial name "Psalm poet " they have from their lyriform Stridulationsorgan, with which they can make " music ". So far, eleven Psalmopoeus species are described.

Dissemination

The distribution of the genus extends from Mexico ( provinces Campeche and Chiapas ), through Belize and the West Indies to northern South America (Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador).

Way of life

Representatives of the genus Psalmopoeus be conditionally assigned to their physiology usually the so-called tree tarantulas. However, they are quite opportunistic when it comes to choosing their hiding place and partially also in the vicinity of the soil, for example, between the roots of fallen trees or found in road embankments. They often disguise their web tube with substrate or plant parts.

In good supply of food, the females of some species (eg Psalmopoeus cambridgei. Psalmopoeus irminia, Psalmopoeus pulcher ) often build a second, sometimes a third cocoon within a molt cycle. However, from the second and third most cocoons hatch significantly fewer pups.

Taxonomy

The classification is controversial. Robert J. Raven has the genus Psalmopoeus placed in the subfamily Selenocosmiinae in 1985. The German biologist and tarantulas systematic Günter Schmidt EW 2008 she put together with Tapinauchenius in a new subfamily Sinurticantinae, which in 2010 was renamed from nomenclatural reasons Psalmopoeinae.

Species

The following species are attributed according to " World Spider Catalog" of the genus Psalmopoeus:

  • Psalmopoeus affinis beach, 1907; West Indies
  • Psalmopoeus cambridgei Pocock, 1895; Trinidad
  • Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1903; Ecuador
  • Psalmopoeus emeraldus Pocock, 1903; Colombia
  • Psalmopoeus intermedius Chamberlin, 1940; Panama
  • Psalmopoeus irminia Saager, 1994; Venezuela
  • Psalmopoeus langenbucheri Schmidt, Bullmer & Thierer -Lutz, 2006; Venezuela
  • Psalmopoeus plantar Pocock, 1903; Colombia
  • Psalmopoeus pulcher Petrunkevitch, 1925; Panama
  • Psalmopoeus reduncus ( Karsch, 1880); Costa Rica
  • Psalmopoeus rufus Petrunkevitch, 1925; Panama
Venezuelan suntiger Reginald Innes Pocock Opportunism
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