Neostenotarsus Explained

Neostenotarsus is a genus of theraphosid spider, in the Theraphosinae subfamily. It is native to French Guiana. It is monotypic, the only species being Neostenotarsus scissistylus.[1]

Taxonomy

The sole species was described in 2002 by Marc Tesmoingt and Gunter Schmidt as Stenotarsus scissistylus. However, the genus name was found to be occupied by the cold-enduring beetle, Stenotarsus,[2] and the name was changed to Neostenotarsus scissistylus.[1]

Neostenotarsus translates as "new thin foot" (Ancient Greek; στενος = "thin", ταρσυς = "foot"), and scissistylus from Latin "scissus": "torn" or "tattered"; and Greek "στυλος": "keel", referring to the embolus.[3]

Characteristics

N. scissistylus has (in the male) a deeply rutted keel on the embolus, which is distally widened. In the female, the spermathecae are widely fused with two little heads of different shape. In both sexes the fovea is procurved.[3]

Notes and References

  1. http://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/37703 Neostenotarsus scissistylus Tesmoingt & Schmidt, 2002
  2. Oldřich Nedvêd.Chill tolerance in the tropical beetle Stenotarsus rotundus. Pubmed. National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  3. Tesmoingt, M. & Schmidt, G. (2002). Stenotarsus scissistylus gen. et sp. n. (Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae), eine Vogelspinne aus Französisch Guyana. Tarantulas of the World 76: 3-12.