''Euathlus affinis'' is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
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 ...
belonging to the family Theraphosidae (
tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,040 species have been identified, with 156 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...
s). It is native to
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
.
[
]
Taxonomy
The species was first described in 1849 as ''Mygale affinis''. However, ''Mygale'' had been used previously for a genus of mammals, and the correct name for the genus is ''Avicularia'',Brachypelma
''Brachypelma'' is a genus of spiders in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). They may have bodies up to long with legs of similar or greater lengths. Some species have brightly colored legs, with red or orange marks and rings.
The taxonomy ...
'' in 1936 and then to ''Euathlus
''Euathlus'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1875. These spiders are medium sized and are usually found in high elevations in the Andes. It is a senior synonym of ''Paraphysa'', and was former ...
'' in 2017.[
]
References
Theraphosidae
Spiders of South America
Spiders described in 1849
Endemic fauna of Chile
{{Theraphosidae-stub