Brachypelma kahlenbergi
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Brachypelma kahlenbergi |
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| Brachypelma kahlenbergi | ||||||||||||
| Rudloff , 2008 |
Brachypelma kahlenbergi is a species of Mexican tarantula . It occurs in the Veracruz area. In terms of coloration, it is very reminiscent of the species Brachypelma vagans , Brachyplema sabulosum , Brachypelma epicureanum and Brachypelma angustum and can be confused with these species. B. kahlenbergi is, however, a small species of the genus and can be distinguished from related species on the basis of body size. It lives sympatric with other species of the genus Brachypelma such as the similar species Brachypelma schroederi .
Habitat and behavior
In the Mexican state of Veracruz it is hot all year round with average temperatures between 26 ° C and 33 ° C. The hottest phase is between May and October. This is also the time when most precipitation falls. Especially the period between July and October with the peak in September are the wettest with rainfall of up to 300 mm.
Like other Brachpelma species, this spider digs burrows underground. Similar to Brachypelma schroederi , the female produces fewer but larger eggs than other Brachypelma species. The larvae and the spiderlings in the first skin are therefore larger than those of other species of the genus.
Features and systematics
The animals have a deep black basic color. On the black opisthosoma , the spiders have longer red hairs. The carapace with the coxes of the legs and buttons is very dark to light brown in color, depending on the individual. The males ( holotype and paratype) are between 3.2 and 3.4 centimeters long (measured from the bite claws to the spinnerets). The female is a little larger with a length of four centimeters. There is no sexual dimorphism in coloring .
The weaker red hair on the opisthosoma and the lack of red hair on the legs can serve as possible differentiators from the very similar B. vagans . The carapace of B. vagans is usually always dark in color, but not so in B. kahlenbergi . No individuals of B. vagans with a light-colored carapace are known to date . The color is, however, not a taxonomically relevant criterion for differentiating the species and so it can be assumed that some similarly colored Brachypelma species can easily be confused by laypeople. The reliable diagnostic differentiation to the species B. vagans (and all other species of the genus) takes place via the sternal sigils ( on the underside of the sternum ) and via the thorns in the tibial apophyses and the shape of the spermathec. In contrast to all other Brachypelma species, B. kahlenbergi has two spines in the prolateral tibial apophysis. The larger spine arises at the base of the apophysis and runs towards the middle and a little beyond it. The smaller thorn rises next to him and then runs out over the end of the other. In B. kahlenbergi the spermathec is cut deep in the middle, almost divided into two parts and therefore looks very wavy. The base of the sperm library is also strongly curved. In comparison, the sperm library of B. vagans has a straight base and appears more trapezoidal.
Surname
The name was chosen in honor of Herwig Kahlenberg from Berlin , who kept and bred specimens of this spider species in large numbers. He already noticed that it must be a previously undescribed species.
Web links
Brachypelma kahlenbergi in the World Spider Catalog
Individual evidence
- ↑ Natural History Museum of the Burgergemeinde Bern: World Spider Catalog Version 15.5 - Brachypelma schroederi . Retrieved September 11, 2014.
- ↑ a b c d Jan-Peter Rudloff: A new Brachypelma species from Mexico (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae) . In: Arthropoda 16 (2), 2008, pp. 26-30.
- ↑ Climate diagram Mexico / Veracruz . Wetter.com. Retrieved September 15, 2014.
- ↑ Climate diagram Mexico / Veracruz . Geo.de. Retrieved September 15, 2014.