Megaphobema
| Megaphobema | |
|---|---|
| M. velvetosoma | |
| M. robustum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Megaphobema Pocock, 1901[1] |
| Type species | |
| M. robustum (Ausserer, 1875)
| |
| Species | |
|
4, see text | |
Megaphobema is a genus of tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901.[2] They look similar to members of Pamphobeteus except for its legs; the third and fourth pairs of legs are much larger and stronger than the first two pairs.[2]
Distribution
Its described species are found in Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Peru.[1]
Species
As of October 2025, this genus includes four species:[1]
- Megaphobema lakoi (Mello-Leitão, 1943) – Brazil
- Megaphobema robustum (Ausserer, 1875) – Colombia (type species)
- Megaphobema teceae Pérez-Miles, Miglio & Bonaldo, 2006 – Brazil
- Megaphobema velvetosoma Schmidt, 1995 – Ecuador, Peru, Brazil
M. velvetosoma Left:Brown morph Right:Black Morph
M. mesomelas and M. peterklaasi were transferred to the new genus Abdomegaphobema in 2023.[3]
References
- ^ a b c "Gen. Megaphobema Pocock, 1901". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
- ^ a b Pocock, R. I. (1901). "Some new and old genera of S.-American Avicularidae". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 8 (7): 540–555. doi:10.1080/03745480109443359.
- ^ Sherwood, D.; Gabriel, R.; Peñaherrera-R., P.; León-E., R. J.; Cisneros-Heredia, D. F.; Brescovit, A. D.; Lucas, S. M. (2023). "Pamphobeteus Pocock, 1901: redescriptions, new species and records, description of a missing sex, with taxonomic notes and changes in Megaphobema Pocock, 1901 (Araneae: Theraphosidae)". Arachnology. 19: 894–930. doi:10.13156/arac.2023.19.6.894.
External links