Davus pentaloris explained

Davus pentaloris is a species of New World tarantula (family Theraphosidae) native to Mexico and Guatemala. Davus was at one time considered to be a synonym of Cyclosternum, and its species were placed in that genus, but this is no longer accepted.

D. pentaloris has been found to display high morphological variation across its widespread distribution.^[1] Due to the typically low dispersal capability of tarantulas and associated high levels of local endemism this led to a hypothesis of hidden diversity within the species, with the high morphological variation suspected to be evidence that D. pentaloris is actually a species complex.^[2] Morphological and molecular analyses employing mtDNA data led to the recognition of 13 clearly diagnosable species, with 12 of them being new to science.^[2]

References

• E. Simon . 1888 . Etudes arachnologiques. 21e Mémoire. XXIX. Descriptions d'espèces et de genres nouveaux de l'Amérique centrale et des Antilles. . . 6 . 8 . 203–216 .

Notes and References

1. Gabriel R.. Revised taxonomic placement of the species in the Central American genera Davus O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1892, Metriopelma Becker, 1878, and Schizopelma F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897, with comments on species in related genera (Araneae: Theraphosidae). Arachnology. 2016. 17. 2 . 61–92. 10.13156/arac.2006.17.2.61. 88749325 .
2. Candia-Ramírez, Daniela T.. Francke, Oscar F.. Another stripe on the tiger makes no difference? Unexpected diversity in the widespread tiger tarantula Davus pentaloris (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae). 2021. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 192. 1. 75–104. 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaa107.