Psalmopoeus plantaris Pocock, 1903

Cifuentes, Yeimy & Bertani, Rogerio, 2022, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of the tarantula genera Tapinauchenius Ausserer, 1871, Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1985, and Amazonius n. gen. (Theraphosidae, Psalmopoeinae), Zootaxa 5101 (1), pp. 1-123 : 82

Psalmopoeus plantaris Pocock, 1903

( Figs 145 , 237 )

Psalmopoeus plantaris Pocock, 1903: 83 ; Petrunkevitch 1911: 86; 1939: 290; Roewer 1942: 256; Bonnet 1958: 3798; World Spider Catalog 2021.

Type material. Holotype female from Colombia, Cauca, BMNH 1846.20 , examined by RB (2003) ( Fig. 237 ).

Remarks. As with P. emeraldus , the type specimen of P. plantaris was dry pinned and dissection was not allowed of the specimen in 2003, due to its fragility. The specimen, possibly a female, is 23 mm in total length and its type locality is Colombia, Cauca. The specimen has a similar stridulatory organ as P. cambridgei , but with only 12 setae ( Fig. 237 ). The carapace and upper side of limbs are covered with olive or greenish-yellow setae, and metatarsi and tarsi with pinkish pale at the extremities ( Pocock, 1903). This color pattern and general structure of stridulating organ resemble those found in P. pulcher females ( Figs 272, 274 ). We suspect that P. pulcher can be a junior synonym of P. plantaris , and, in order to corroborate this, more material from the region of Cauca, Colombia must be found. As the holotype exists and there is the possibility of the species being valid, we consider the species valid until more information and specimens from the type locality be available.

Figures

FIGURE 145. Map showing geographic records (dots) of Psalmopoeus species. Psalmopoeus cambridgei (red), P. reduncus (orange), P. ecclesiasticus (purple), P. emeraldus (light blue), P. plantaris (brown), P. pulcher (green), P. irminia (yellow), P. langenbucheri (blue), P. victori (black).

FIGURES 236–237. 236, Psalmopoeus emeraldus, holotype female (BMNH 1894.12.9.1), right maxilla, lyra. 237, Psalmopoeus plantaris, holotype female (BMNH 1846.20), right maxilla, lyra.

FIGURES 272–275. Psalmopoeus pulcher, living. 272, female from Panama, Gamboa. 273, male from same locality. 274, subadult female, same locality. 275, immature from pet trade. Photos: 272–274 Rick C. West, 275 Rogério Bertani.