''Aphonopelma hollyi'', also known as the Lubbock gold tarantula, is considered by some sources to be a species of

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 m ...

native to

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...

in the United States. Described in 1995, the scientific name honors the 1950s rock-and-roll singer Buddy Holly. Other sources suggest spiders given this name are actually '' Aphonopelma hentzi''.

Taxonomy

The species was described in 1995, based on a single adult male specimen from Lubbock, Texas. The

holotype A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of sever ...

(i.e. the specimen on which the description was based) has been lost. A 2016 monograph of the genus ''

Aphonopelma ''Aphonopelma'' is a genus of tarantulas native to the Americas. It includes nearly all the North American tarantula species north of Mexico and a considerable percentage of the tarantula species that range into Central America. Most are fairly ...

'' in the United States suggests that the specimen was actually '' Aphonopelma hentzi'', but in the absence of the holotype, treats ''Aphonopelma hollyi'' as a nomen dubium (i.e. a doubtful name). Based on morphology, ''A. hollyi'' was considered to be closely related to a group of ''Aphonopelma'' species including ''A. hentzi''. A study of DNA also suggested a close relationship to ''A. hentzi'', in accordance with the suggestion that the holotype was actually this species.

Etymology

''Aphonopelma hollyi'' was described as a new species by

arachnologist Arachnology is the scientific study of arachnids, which comprise spiders and related invertebrates such as scorpions, pseudoscorpions, and harvestmen. Those who study spiders and other arachnids are arachnologists. More narrowly, the study of ...

Andrew M. Smith in 1995, based on a single male specimen collected in Lubbock, Texas in 1981, and housed at

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma (; Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a state in the South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the north, Missouri on the northeast, Arkansas on the east, New ...

. Smith named the new species after Buddy Holly, who was born in Lubbock.

Description

Measurements of males are known from the male

specimen, with a body length of , and a carapace of 18x17 mm. The longest legs (the fourth or rearmost pair) are 60 mm long, and the jaws are 5 mm long. The

pedipalp Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicerae ("jaws") an ...

s bear four spines, and the first walking legs bear two. The color in alcohol preserved specimens is brown with gold or bronze hairs on the carapace, and light reddish brown hairs on the legs and abdomen. Female measurements were not included with the original description, but attain masses exceeding 10 grams.

Distribution and habitat

Lubbock gold tarantulas are known from

Lubbock Lubbock ( ) is the 10th-most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of government of Lubbock County. With a population of 260,993 in 2021, the city is also the 85th-most populous in the United States. The city is in the northw ...

and Briscoe counties, in Northern Texas, and occur in mixed grassland and scrub woodland among grass hillsides.

Behavior

Like other ''

'' species, ''A. hollyi'' juveniles and adults construct burrows. In a 14-month study conducted in the mid 2000s, ''A. hollyi'' became the first wild spiders studied with implanted passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags, which were inserted into the body to allow for redetection. This study found high rates of burrow abandonment over the period, with monthly precipitation being the dominant predictor for abandonment, although it is unclear if the annual patterns are typical of the species or simply local responses to areas prone to flooding. A separate study using

radio telemetry Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', "remote", and ' ...

in July, 2007, indicated adults spent up to 96% of their time in burrows, and when exited moved only short distances (no more than from burrow) before returning.

References

External links

Photograph: Female ''Aphonopelma hollyi'' at her burrow
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2801978 hollyi Fauna of the Southwestern United States Spiders of the United States Spiders described in 1995 Buddy Holly