| Euphrictus squamosus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Euphrictus |
| Species: | E. squamosus |
| Binomial name | |
| Euphrictus squamosus (Benoit, 1965)[1] | |
Euphrictus squamosus is a tarantula (family Theraphosidae) in the Selenogyrinae subfamily.[2] It is native to the Congo.[1]
Taxonomy
The species was first described by Pierre Benoit in 1965 as the type species, Zophopelma squamosa, of a new genus Zophopelma, placed in the family Barychelidae.[3] After analysing its features, Robert J. Raven considered the species to belong to the family Theraphosidae rather than Barychelidae, and also transferred it to the genus Euphrictus as E. squamosus.[4] The transfer has been accepted by most sources,[1] but Andrew M. Smith in 1990, although agreeing with the changed family placement, questioned Raven's view that Zophopelma and Euphrictus are synonymous.[2]
Characteristics
Euphrictus squamosus is characterized by yellow-white scales on its cephalothorax, for both genders. It has a slightly shorter embolus than Euphrictus spinosus. It is 11.4 mm long and reddish-brown in colour.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 "Gen. Euphrictus Hirst, 1908". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
- 1 2 Smith, A.M. (1990). Baboon spiders: Tarantulas of Africa and the Middle East. London: Fitzgerald Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9510939-7-9.
- 1 2 Benoit, P.L.G. (1965). "Etudes sur les Barychelidae du Centre Africain (Araneae - Orthognatha) II. - Leptopelmatinae nouveaux". Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines (in French). 71: 297–303.
- ↑ Raven, R.J. (1985). "The spider infraorder Mygalomorphae (Araneae): Cladistics and systematics". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 182: 1–180. hdl:2246/955.