Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus

Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Theraphosidae
Genus: Neoheterophrictus
Species:
N. crurofulvus
Binomial name
Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus
(Siliwal, Gupta, & Raven, 2012)[1]

Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus is a species of tarantula. It is also the type species of Neoheterophrictus and is found in the Western Ghats, India.[2][3]

Etymology

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The specific name crurofulvus is a mixture of two Latin words: cruro meaning "leg" or "appendage"; and fulvus meaning "tawny" or "yellowish-brown". This refers to the light brown colour of the legs of the female, which is not seen in any other Indian Theraphosid.[2]

Distinguishing features

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Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus is known from the male and female. The female is distinguished by the structure of the spermathecae; there are two receptacles, which narrow at the apex; also upon the apex are a multitude of tiny lobes.

The male differs from other species by having a tibial spur which narrows down towards the apex where there is a pointed spine; it also lacks a basal spine in the retrolateral view of the spur; and the retrolateral two-thirds of the metatarsi and the whole tarsi are coloured white or cream.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Taxon details Neoheterophrictus crurofulvus Siliwal, Gupta & Raven, 2012", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2016-03-05
  2. ^ a b c Siliwal, Manju; Gupta, Neha & Raven, Robert (2012), "A new genus of the family Theraphosidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) with description of three new species from the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India", Journal of Threatened Taxa, 4 (14): 3233–3254, doi:10.11609/jott.o3065.3233-54
  3. ^ "Species list for Neoheterophrictus", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2016-03-05