Pterinopelma Pocock 1901

Bertani, Rogério, Nagahama, Roberto Hiroaki & Fukushima, Caroline Sayuri, 2011, Revalidation of Pterinopelma Pocock 1901 with description of a new species and the female of Pterinopelma vitiosum (Keyserling 1891) (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae), Zootaxa 2814, pp. 1-18 : 3-4

Pterinopelma Pocock 1901 revalidated

Pterinopelma Pocock 1901: 551 (type species by monotypy Eurypelma vitiosa Keyserling 1891 , holotype male, Brazil, Taquara, in BMNH, examined); Mello-Leitäo 1923: 183, 1943: 153; Petrunkevitch 1928: 80; 1939a: 261; 1939b: 567; Bonnet 1958: 3827; Gerschman & Schiapelli 1978: 86; Valerio 1980: 276.

Diagnosis. Pterinopelma resembles Lasiodora C. L. Koch 1850 , Vitalius and Nhandu Lucas 1983 by the combined absence of accessory prolateral keels and presence of prolateral superior, prolateral inferior, retrolatral and apical palpal keels in males (Figs 1-3, 7-9); and by the spermathecae short, separated by a heavily sclerotized short area in females (Figs 6, 13). Both sexes are distinguished from those of Lasiodora by the absence of stridulatory hairs on the prolateral coxae. From Nhandu and Vitalius the males are distinguished by the presence of denticles in the prolateral inferior keel (Figs 3, 9) and the weakly developed or absent subapical keel (Figs 1-3). Females can be distinguished from Nhandu by the absence of long setae on the carapace and from Vitalius either by the presence of uticating hair type III on the abdomen ( P sazimai sp. nov.), or by having a sternum wider than long ( P vitiosum ) (Fig. 5).

Redescription. Carapace slightly longer than wide, cephalic region slightly raised to clearly raised, convex. Cephalic and thoracic striae shallow or deep. Fovea straight, shallow ( P. vitiosum ) or deep ( P. sazimai sp. nov.). Chelicerae without rastellum, basal segments with 9 to 11 teeth. Eye tubercle distinct, wider than long. Clypeus absent (female P. vitiosum ) or narrow. Anterior eye row procurved, posterior slightly recurved. AME rounded, ALE, PLE and PME oval. Labium subquadrate, slightly wider than long, with numerous (90-155) cuspules on its anterior third. Maxila subretangular, anterior lobe distinctly produced into a conical process, inner angle bearing numerous cuspules (100-200). Sternum longer than wide ( P. sazimai sp. nov.) or as long as wide ( P. vitiosum ), anterior sigilla on sternum/labium edge not visible. Sternal sigilla less than one diameter from margin ( P. sazimai sp. nov.) or sigilla not visible ( P. vitiosum ). PMS one-segmented, short; PLS three-segmented, basal segment longer than apical, both longer than median. Apical segment digitiform. STC with a median row of few small teeth. Tarsi I-III fully scopulated, IV divided by row of setae. Metatarsi I-II 2/3 to 4/5 scopulated, metatarsus III scopulated 1/3 to 1/2 its length, metatarsus IV apically scopulated, not divided by a row of setae. Femur IV with retrolateral scopula. Prolateral leg coxae and retrolateral palpal trochanter without stridulatory hairs. Male tibial apophysis with straight branches ( P. sazimai sp. nov.) or retrolateral branch slightly curved ( P. vitiosum ) originating from common base, prolateral branch not thickened. Metatarsus I strongly ( P. sazimai sp. nov.) or slightly ( P. vitiosum ) curved, when flexed touches retrolateral branch laterally ( P. vitiosum ) or apex of retrolateral branch ( P. sazimai sp. nov.). Male palpal bulb pyriform, embolus long, slightly flattened distally. Prolateral keels present, extremely reduced in P. sazimai sp. nov. PS forms embolus edge distally. PI with series of unequal denticles. AC absent. R not pronounced. A short. SA poorly developed ( P. vitiosum ) or absent ( P. sazimai sp. nov.). Spermathecae short, separated by heavily sclerotized short area. SS narrower than SB. Type I urticating hair in males and females with region "A" longer or equal to region "B". Type III ( P. sazimai sp. nov.) or absent ( P. vitiosum ) in males and females. Carapace covered by short slender hairs; bordered by hairs pointing out from carapace center. Tibiae IV non-incrassated. Coxae and sternum covered by long hairs ( P. vitiosum ) or short hairs ( P. sazimai sp. nov.). General color pattern brown ( P. vitiosum ), black (male P. sazimai sp. nov.) or with iridescent blue setae ( P. sazimai sp. nov. female).