Psalmopoeus

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Psalmopoeus
Psalmopoeus irminia 0041.jpg
Psalmopoeus irminia
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Theraphosidae
Genus: Psalmopoeus
Pocock, 1895 [1]
Type species
Psalmopoeus cambridgei
Pocock, 1895
Species

20, see text

Psalmopoeus is a genus of the family Theraphosidae containing various species of tarantulas. The genus is native to Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Belize, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. All of these tarantulas are arboreal in nature, Psalmopoeus victori being the first arboreal tarantula of Mexico.

Contents

Venom

These species are believed to be relatively venomous, and research in the venom of P. cambridgei shows it to target the same nociceptor as capsaicin, the molecule causing irritation in chilli peppers. [2] These molecules activate sensory cells to send pain signals to the brain. Genetic engineers are working on blocking the receptors that are activated by these molecules. [2]

Diagnosis

The species of this genus can be distinguished from all others by the lyriform organ in the prolateral maxillae, composed of a singular row of thick hairlike bristles. They also own hairs on the base of the chelicerae, also having short hairs in the retrolateral side of the pedipalp trochanter and femur. [3]

List of species

As of November 2025, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species: [1]

P. langenbucheri Psalmopoeus langenbucheri.jpg
P. langenbucheri

In synonymy

Nomen dubium

References

  1. 1 2 Gloor, Daniel; Nentwig, Wolfgang; Blick, Theo; Kropf, Christian (2025). "Gen. Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895". World Spider Catalog Version 26. Natural History Museum Bern. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-12-22.
  2. 1 2 Anitei, Stefan (2006). Chili Peppers, as Strong as Tarantula Venom. Science.
  3. ↑ Pérez-Miles, Fernando (2020-12-15). New World Tarantulas: Taxonomy, Biogeography and Evolutionary Biology of Theraphosidae. Springer Nature. ISBN   978-3-030-48644-0.
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