''Caribena'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

s in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in the

Antilles The Antilles (; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Antiy; es, Antillas; french: Antilles; nl, Antillen; ht, Antiy; pap, Antias; Jamaican Patois: ''Antiliiz'') is an archipelago bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the south and west, the Gulf of Mex ...

. The two species accepted were formerly placed in '' Avicularia''. Apart from a different distribution – ''Avicularia'' species are found in mainland South and Central America – ''Caribena'' is distinguished by having longer and thinner type II urticating hairs in a conspicuous patch on the upper surface of the abdomen. Males also have a differently shaped

palpal bulb The two palpal bulbs – also known as palpal organs and genital bulbs – are the copulatory organs of a male spider. They are borne on the last segment of the pedipalps (the front "limbs" of a spider), giving the spider an appearance often descr ...

Diagnostic

They own type 2

urticating hairs Urticating hairs or urticating bristles are one of the primary defense mechanisms used by numerous plants, almost all New World tarantulas, and various lepidopteran caterpillars. ''Urtica'' is Latin for "nettle" (stinging nettles are in the genus ...

, which are very slender, on a clearly visible area of the

opisthosoma The opisthosoma is the posterior part of the body in some arthropods, behind the prosoma (cephalothorax). It is a distinctive feature of the subphylum Chelicerata (arachnids, horseshoe crabs and others). Although it is similar in most respects to a ...

. These hairs being longer than 1mm. And males can also be distinguished by the sharp spine like "process" in the retrolateral face of the cymbium.

Taxonomy

The genus was erected in 2017 by

Caroline Fukushima Caroline may refer to: People *Caroline (given name), a feminine given name * J. C. Caroline (born 1933), American college and National Football League player * Jordan Caroline (born 1996), American (men's) basketball player Places Antarctica *Ca ...

and Rogério Bertani for two species formerly placed in '' Avicularia''. The genus name is derived from the Spanish word ''caribeña'', meaning "from the Caribbean". Species of ''Caribena'' are distinguished from those of related genera by the possession of long (more than 1 mm) and very thin (less than 9 µm) type II urticating hairs carried on a conspicuous patch on the upper rear surface of the abdomen. Males have a pointed outgrowth (process) on the retrolateral lobe of the cymbium of the

Species

, the

World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...

accepted the following species, both transferred from the genus '' Avicularia'': *'' Caribena laeta'' (C.L. Koch, 1842) –

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

, US Virgin Islands *'' Caribena versicolor'' (Walckenaer, 1837) –

Martinique Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...

In synonymy

* ''Caribena caesia'' (C. L. Koch, 1842) = '' Caribena laeta'' * ''Caribena rutilans'' (Ausserer, 1875) = '' Caribena versicolor''

Gallery

File:Caribena laeta female ZK241.jpg, Female '' Caribena laeta''; arrow marks urticating hairs File:Caribena laeta male ZK242.jpg, Male '' Caribena laeta'' File:Caribena laeta immature ZK239.jpg, Immature '' Caribena laeta'' File:Caribena versicolor 9 Fh.jpg, alt=, '' Caribena versicolor'' female File:Caribena versicolor sling on leave.jpg, alt=, Immature '' Caribena versicolor''

References

Theraphosidae Theraphosidae genera Spiders of the Caribbean {{Theraphosidae-stub