Tantra (spider)

Tantra
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Theridiosomatidae
Genus: Tantra
Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025[1]
Type species
T. bugle
Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025
Species

9, see text

Tantra is a genus of spiders in the family Theridiosomatidae.[2]

Distribution

All but one described species of Tantra are endemic to Panama. T. kullki is endemic to Ecuador.[2]

Etymology

The genus is derived from Sanskrit तन्त्र tántra in the meaning "loom, weave". Most species are named after indigenous tribes, Bribri, Buglé, Emberá, Kuna, Naso, Ngäbe, Wounaan. T. sichid is derived from the Kuna word for "black" [1]

Species

As of January 2026, this genus includes nine species:[2]

  • Tantra bribri Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025Panama
  • Tantra bugle Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025 – Panama
  • Tantra embera Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025 – Panama
  • Tantra kullki (Dupérré & Tapia, 2017)Ecuador
  • Tantra kuna Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025 – Panama
  • Tantra naso Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025 – Panama
  • Tantra ngabe Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025 – Panama
  • Tantra sichid Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025 – Panama
  • Tantra wounaan Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025 – Panama

References

  1. ^ a b Labarque, F. M.; Piacentini, L. N.; Pons, J.; Hormiga, G.; Arnedo, M. A.; Ramírez, M. J. (2025). "Ray spider rush: fast-tracking integrative taxonomy in Panama's cloud forests". European Journal of Taxonomy. 1010: 1–145. doi:10.5852/ejt.2025.1010.3021. hdl:10261/410440.
  2. ^ a b c "Gen. Tantra Labarque, Piacentini, Pons, Hormiga, Arnedo & Ramirez, 2025". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2026-01-20.