Iridopelma Explained

Iridopelma is a genus of Brazilian tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901.^[1]

Diagnosis

Males of this genus can be distinguished by the tibial spurs on leg 1 and 2, while females differ from most other genera by the anterior eye row, which is strongly curved forward. Avicularia and Typhochlaena both own the latter characteristics; however, Iridopelma can be distinguished from Avicularia by the spermatheca, which lacks a curvature, and from Typhochlaena by the spinnerets, which are finger-shaped.^[2]

Species

it contains six species, all found in Brazil:^[3]

• Iridopelma hirsutum Pocock, 1901 (type) – Brazil
• Iridopelma katiae Bertani, 2012 – Brazil
• Iridopelma marcoi Bertani, 2012 – Brazil
• Iridopelma oliveirai Bertani, 2012 – Brazil
• Iridopelma vanini Bertani, 2012 – Brazil
• Iridopelma zorodes (Mello-Leitão, 1926) – Brazil

In synonymy

• I. palmicola (Mello-Leitão, 1945) = Iridopelma hirsutum

Nomina dubia

• Iridopelma leporina (C. L. Koch, 1841) - Brazil
• Iridopelma plantaris (C. L. Koch, 1842) - Brazil

Transferred to other genera

• Iridopelma seladonium (C. L. Koch, 1841) → Typhochlaena seladonia

See also

• List of Theraphosidae species

Notes and References

1. Pocock. R. I.. 1901. LXIX.—Some new and old genera of S.-American Avicularidæ. Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 540–555. 8. 7. Reginald_Innes_Pocock. Series 7. 10.1080/03745480109443359.
2. Bertani . Rogério . 2012-10-23 . Revision, cladistic analysis and biogeography of Typhochlaena C. L. Koch, 1850, Pachistopelma Pocock, 1901 and Iridopelma Pocock, 1901 (Araneae,Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) . ZooKeys . 230 . 1–94 . 10.3897/zookeys.230.3500 . 1313-2989 . 3494022 . 23166476. free .
3. Gen. Iridopelma Pocock, 1901. World Spider Catalog Version 20.0. 2020-04-17. 2020. Natural History Museum Bern. 10.24436/2.