Description of the male of the Critically Endangered tarantula Typhochlaena curumim Bertani, 2012 (Araneae, Theraphosidae), with comments on tarantula trade and conservation.

Caroline Sayuri Fukushima,Rogério Bertani,Pedro Cardoso

doi:10.3897/zookeys.938.51442

Abstract

The genus Typhochlaena C.L. Koch, 1850 consists of five small size arboreal tarantula species with remarkable colored abdominal patterns and a very restricted geographic range in Brazil. Here, we describe the male of Typhochlaena curumim Bertani, 2012, which was collected in an area of Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. The new record extends the northern limit of the geographic range for both the genus and species. As Typhochlaena spp. are now especially popular and requested in the pet market, and because T. curumim is classified as Critically Endangered, we discuss the impacts of the international trade and other challenges on conservation of the genus.

Highlights

IntroductionThe genus Typhochlaena C.L. Koch, 1850 was erected 170 years ago (Koch 1850) to include Typhochlaena seladonia (C.L. Koch, 1841) and Typhochlaena caesia (C.L. Koch, 1842) ( in Caribena Fukushima & Bertani, 2017)
As we expect the species to be present in several fragments within this polygon, we calculated the area of occupancy (AOO) as equal to extent of occurrence (EOO) multiplied by the proportion of Atlantic Rainforest in the three states
As proposed for species occurring in the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest (Pellegrino et al 2005), the geographic ranges of Typhochlaena species are mostly concordant with with river basins (Bertani 2012)

Summary

Introduction

The genus Typhochlaena C.L. Koch, 1850 was erected 170 years ago (Koch 1850) to include Typhochlaena seladonia (C.L. Koch, 1841) and Typhochlaena caesia (C.L. Koch, 1842) ( in Caribena Fukushima & Bertani, 2017). The genus is characterized by having a domed, short distal segment of the posterior lateral spinneret in all stages and a sternum, in adults, as long as wide and truncated behind (Bertani 2012). They are well known as small arboreal tarantulas with remarkable colored abdominal patterns, and they are becoming popular and increasingly requested in the pet trade, probably due to these characteristics

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