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Phormictopus

Phormictopus
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Phormictopus
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Summary

Phormictopus is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas) that occurs in the West Indies, mainly Cuba and Hispaniola, with three species probably misplaced in this genus found in Brazil and Argentina.

Phormictopus

Phormictopus
Local Pest Control

Scientific classification

kingdom: Animalia
phylum: Arthropoda
class: Arachnida
order: Araneae
family: Theraphosidae

Species

Phormictopus cancerides

Hispaniolan Giant Tarantula

Phormictopus cancerides

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Phormictopus atrichomatus

Phormictopus atrichomatus

Phormictopus atrichomatus

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Phormictopus auratus

Cuban Bronze Tarantula

Phormictopus auratus

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Phormictopus cubensis

Cuban Brown Tarantula

Phormictopus cubensis

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Phormictopus cautus

Phormictopus cautus

Phormictopus cautus

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Phormictopus schepanskii

Phormictopus schepanskii

Phormictopus schepanskii

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Phormictopus bistriatus

Phormictopus bistriatus

Phormictopus bistriatus

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Phormictopus cochleasvorax

Phormictopus cochleasvorax

Phormictopus cochleasvorax

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Phormictopus fritzschei

Phormictopus fritzschei

Phormictopus fritzschei

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Phormictopus jonai

Phormictopus jonai

Phormictopus jonai

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Phormictopus australis

Phormictopus australis

Phormictopus australis

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Phormictopus ribeiroi

Phormictopus ribeiroi

Phormictopus ribeiroi

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Phormictopus melodermus

Phormictopus melodermus

Phormictopus melodermus

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Phormictopus platus

Caribbean Gray Tarantula

Phormictopus platus

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Description

Phormictopus species are quite large spiders; for example a female of Phormictus auratus had a total body length of 73 mm with the longest leg (the fourth) being 74 mm long. They have stridulating organs on the coxae and trochanters of the pedipalps and first pair of legs. Males have two apophyses (projections) on the tibia of the first pair of legs, and urticating hairs of type I. Females have a two-part spermatheca, and urticating hairs of types I and III.

Taxonomy

The genus Phormictopus was erected by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. He transferred Mygale cancerides, first described by Pierre André Latreille in 1806, to his new genus as the type species. When Jan-Peter Rudloff reviewed the genus in 2008, it included 14 species. He reduced this number to seven definitely belonging to the genus, and described five more. Three species were considered misplaced in Phormictopus, but no definite alternative placement was provided. With these exclusions, the genus is probably restricted to the West Indies.