Augacephalus breyeri

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Augacephalus breyeri
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Theraphosidae
Genus: Augacephalus
Species:
A. breyeri
Binomial name
Augacephalus breyeri
Hewitt, 1919 [1]
Synonyms
  • Pterinochilus

Augacephalus breyeri is a species of harpactirine theraphosid spider, found in South Africa, Mozambique and Eswatini. [1]

Contents

Description

Augacephalus breyeri females are 40-55mm in total length. The cephalothorax is 15-22mm long and 12-18mm wide, and sometimes has a "step" separating the cephalic region from the fovea. The cephalothorax has a radial pattern of orange striae set on a background of black setae, and the cephalic region has a black "mask". The fovea is shallow. There are long emergent setae on the sternum and coxae. The spermathecae are flattened and triangular. The abdomen (opisthosoma) is 18.8–27.2mm long and 12.9–19.4mm wide. Its dorsal surface is orange/beige with a dark pattern of spots, bars and reticulations. The legs and palpi are orange or beige.

Male Augacephalus breyeri have a megaspine surmounting a distal proventral tibial apophysis. They have relatively robust embolus. The total length of the male is 18mm. The cephalothorax is 8.4mm long and 6.7mm wide. Cephalothorax colouration same as female. Abdomen length 7.9mm and width 4.1mm. Abdomen, legs and palpi are light brown. [2]

Natural history

A. breyeri is fossorial and inhabits thornveld grassland. It lives in burrows about 20 cm deep. [2]

Taxonomy

Augacephalus breyeri was described by John Hewitt, as Pterinochilus breyeri, in 1919. Richard Gallon transferred the species to Augacephalus in 2002. [1]

Related Research Articles

Harpactirinae Subfamily of African tarantula spiders

The Harpactirinae are a subfamily of tarantulas which are native to the continent of Africa. Like many Old World tarantulas, they have a relatively strong venom, and can inflict a painful bite.

<i>Pterinochilus</i> Genus of spiders

Pterinochilus is a genus of baboon spiders that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1897.

This glossary describes the terms used in formal descriptions of spiders; where applicable these terms are used in describing other arachnids.

Stenoterommata uruguai is a mygalomorph spider of Argentina, named after its type locality: Salto del Uruguaí. This species is distinguished from other Stenoterommata by its spermathecae consisting of a single dome bearing numerous receptacula. Its spermathecae are similar to those of S. quena, but in S. uruguai the basal dome is more rounded.

Stenoterommata quena is a species of mygalomorph spiders of Argentina, named after its type locality: La Quena, Salta Province. Females are recognized by the numerous spines on prolateral patella III. The rastellum is stronger, and the maxillae are shorter, than in other species of its genus. The presence of preening combs in metatarsi I is also unusual.

Stenoterommata tenuistyla is a species of mygalomorph spiders of Argentina, named after the thin, slender embolus in males of this species, which distinguish it from males of the sympatric S. crassistyla. Females are distinguished from other three-clawed Stenoterommata by their spermathecae, which have a short basal portion and a single receptaculum arising from near the tip of the base. Males are diagnosed by one of the species autapomorphies: the presence of numerous short spines on the ventral metatarsus I.

Stenoterommata palmar is a mygalomorph spider of Argentina, named after its type locality: Parque Nacional El Palmar, Entre Rios. Females differ from other three-clawed Stenoterommata in the spermathecae having one triangular dome with a single receptaculum arising from its base; males are most similar to those of S. tenuistyla, but lack short ventral spines on the metatarsus I, and have a long, curved spine on the apical third of their ventral tibia I. Its burrowing behaviour is similar to that of S. tenuistyla.

Stenoterommata crassistyla is a species of mygalomorph spiders of Argentina, named after its wide embolus (stylus) in males, distinguishing this species from the sympatric S. tenuistyla. Its behaviour is similar to the latter species as well. Females are distinguished from other Stenoterommata having multireceptaculate spermathecae by the presence of inferior tarsal claws on the anterior legs. Males have the palpal tibia with a basal notch at either side of the base, and swollen. The species is distinguished from S. tenuistyla by lacking the short spines on the male metatarsus I, characteristic of said species.

Acanthogonatus confusus is a mygalomorph spider of Argentina and Chile, its name referring to the confusion between this species and A. subcalpeianus. Males are recognized by their long palpi, together with the absence of a tibial apophysis; females are recognized by the spermathecae.

Acanthogonatus parana is a mygalomorph spider of Argentina, its name referring to its type locality: Paraná, Entre Ríos. Females are most similar to those of A. centralis, but are distinguished by the narrow fundus of the spermathecae.

Acanthogonatus peniasco is a mygalomorph spider of Chile, its name arising from its type locality: El Peñasco, Linares, VII Region, Chile. Females differ from those of A. franki and A. recinto in the shorter, wider, and more sclerotized spermathecal ducts, and from those of other species in the genus by having 1-1-1 P spines in the patella IV.

Acanthogonatus nahuelbuta is a mygalomorph spider of Chile, named after its type locality: Piedra del Águila, Parque Nacional Nahuel-Buta, Malleco. Males differ from A. patagallina by having the basal portion of the bulb less rounded and the basal loop of the bulbal duct less sinuous; and from those of A. hualpen by the differently shaped embolus and the palpal tibia with the apical two-thirds tapering gradually and having thickened setae.

Acanthogonatus vilches is a mygalomorph spider of Chile, named after its type locality: Gil de Vilches, Talca, Region VII. Females differ from other species in the nahuelbuta group by their less modified spermathecae.

Flamencopsis is a genus of mygalomorph spiders, with only one species, Flamencopsis minima, found in Chile. The specific name was given because it is the smallest member of the tribe Diplothelopsini.

Lycinus caldera is a mygalomorph spider of Chile, named after its type locality: Caldera, Copiapó, Region III. Males are distinguished from L. gajardoi by the larger cymbium, the thinner and more numerous modified cymbial setae and the shorter embolus, and from those of all other species in the tribe by having cymbial setae directed backwards. Females are distinguished from other Chilean species of Lycinus by the spermathecae with two or three receptacula on each side.

Chilelopsis serena is a species of mygalomorph spiders of Chile, named after its type locality: La Serena, Elqui, Region IV. Males differ from those both C. calderoni and C. puertoviejo in the absence of a patch of setae on the apical tibia I, and also in the palpal tibia having dorsal spines and the bulbal duct being abruptly narrowed at the apex. Females differ from the two other species by their divided spermathecae.

Chilelopsis calderoni is a species of mygalomorph spiders of Chile, named after Dr Raúl Calderón. Males differ from C. puertoviejo in the more sinuous distal portion of the bulbal duct; females differ in the spermathecae with a distinct fundus and a narrowed duct. Males differ from C. serena by the presence of a dense patch of setae on the anterior tibiae, females in the undivided spermathecae.

Lycinus tofo is a mygalomorph spider of Chile, named after its type locality: El Tofo, Coquimbo Region. Males are distinguished by the palpal bulb, more abruptly tapered than in other species of the genus; females by the long, slender, spiraled spermathecal receptacula.

Chaco tucumana is a species of mygalomorph spiders of Argentina, named after its type locality: Tucumán. This species differs from C. obscura in the shorter male embolus and the shorter female spermathecal ducts. From other species of the genus it differs in its dark uniform color, the flexible anterior female tarsi, the denser scopulae on the posterior tarsi, and the female spermathecae without a basal protuberance. As in C. obscura, smaller specimens are much lighter in color, and it has darker spots that are evident on the sides of its cephalic region, the apex of femora, base of the patellae and lateral tibiae and dorsal abdomen. Larger specimens are much darker, almost black, with no visible pattern.

Augacephalus is a genus of harpacterine theraphosid spiders. It has three species, all of which are found in Africa.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Augacephalus breyeri Hewitt, 1919. World Spider Catalog. NMBE. Retrieved August, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Gallon, R. C. (2002). Revision of the African genera Pterinochilus and Eucratoscelus (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Harpactirinae) with description of two new genera. Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 12: 201-232.