''Tliltocatl kahlenbergi'' (

synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are all ...

''Brachypelma kahlenbergi'') 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 ...

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 ...

in the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas), found in Mexico.

Description

''Tliltocatl kahlenbergi'' is a relatively small member of the genus. Three males had total body lengths of between 32 mm and 34 mm; the female is larger, one having a body length of 41 mm. The fourth leg is longest, up to 58 mm in males and about 49 mm in females. The body is generally dark with relatively dense covering of red hair on the abdomen and legs compared to the more sparse red hairs in '' T. schroederi'', which this species resembles. The

carapace A carapace is a Dorsum (biology), dorsal (upper) section of the exoskeleton or shell in a number of animal groups, including arthropods, such as crustaceans and arachnids, as well as vertebrates, such as turtles and tortoises. In turtles and tor ...

is variable in colour, and can appear quite bright. Like ''T. schroederi'', fewer larger eggs are produced than in most related species, and the spiderlings are correspondingly larger.

Taxonomy

''Tliltocatl kahlenbergi'' was first described in 2008 by Jan-Peter Rudloff as ''Brachypelma kahlenbergi''. The specimens used in his description came from Herwig Kahlenberg, who was the first to recognize them as a new species. Spiders from

Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...

in Mexico had been sent to Kahlenberg in Germany, where he had distributed offspring. ''T. kahlenbergi'' is distinguished from all other species in the genus by the arrangement of the sigilla on the sternum, and by possessing two spines, rather than one, on the prolateral tibial apophysis. In November 2019, it was proposed that ''Brachypelma kahlenbergi'' be moved to the new genus ''Tliltocatl''; this has been accepted by the World Spider Catalog.

Distribution and habitat

''Tliltocatl kahlenbergi'' was described from specimens in captivity, reported to be collected from around

, Mexico. It lives in burrows in the ground, like other related species.

Conservation

All species of ''Brachypelma'', then including ''Tliltocatl'', were placed on CITES Appendix II in 1994, thus restricting trade, although ''T. kahlenbergi'' had not been described then and is not explicitly listed.

References

External links

* – photographs taken in the wild {{Taxonbar, from1=Q86826827, from2=Q2683958 Theraphosidae Spiders of Mexico Spiders described in 2008