Luphocemus
| Luphocemus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Theraphosidae |
| Genus: | Luphocemus Denis, 1960 |
| Species | |
Luphocemus is a genus of small to medium sized tarantulas with a robust body.[1]
Taxonomy
The genus was first described in 1960 when it was placed in the family Barychelidae. The only species was Luphocemus insidiosus.[2] In 1965, the genus was sunk into Harpactirella, and L. insidiosus became Harpactirella insidiosa. In 2022, H. insidiosa was considered to be a synonym of Ischnocolus elongatus, so Luphocemus became a synonym of Ischnocolus.[3] In 2026, the genus was resurrected with two species, the original L. insidiosus plus L. elongata. They can be differentiated by their morphological characteristics and their lifestyle. They construct a tube burrow which is lined with dense web, and has side chambers and a small turret around the entrance.[1]
Species
As of March 2026, this genus contained two species, both found in Morocco:[3]
- Luphocemus elongatus (Simon, 1873)
- Luphocemus insidiosus Denis, 1960
References
- 1 2 Korba, Jan; Opatova, Vera (2026-05-01). "Out of North Africa: Evolution and biogeography of Afro-Arabian dwarf tarantulas (Theraphosidae, Ischnocolinae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 218 108559. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2026.108559. ISSN 1055-7903.
- ↑ Denis, J. (1960). "Notes d'aranéologie marocaine. VIII. Un barychélide nouveau du Maroc". Bulletin de la Société des Sciences Naturelles et Physiques du Maroc (in French). 39 (3–4): 185–189. Retrieved 2026-03-28 – via World Spider Catalog.
- 1 2 "Gen. Luphocemus Denis, 1960". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2026-03-29.