''Cymbiapophysa'' is a genus of spiders in the family
Theraphosidae
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...
, first described by Pocock, in 1903. As of 2024 it contains 12 species. The tarantulas of this genus inhabit
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
. Males of this genus can be distinguished by the presence of a distal retrolateral apophysis on the cymbium of the male
pedipalp
Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the secondary pair of forward appendages among Chelicerata, chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to ...
. And females can be distinguished with twin
spermathecae
The spermatheca (pronounced : spermathecae ), also called ''receptaculum seminis'' (: ''receptacula seminis''), is an organ of the female reproductive tract in insects, e.g. ants, bees, some molluscs, Oligochaeta worms and certain other inver ...
, by the
morphology
Morphology, from the Greek and meaning "study of shape", may refer to:
Disciplines
*Morphology (archaeology), study of the shapes or forms of artifacts
*Morphology (astronomy), study of the shape of astronomical objects such as nebulae, galaxies, ...
and the short and squat receptacles.
Distribution
This
tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...
is found throughout
Central America
Central America is a subregion of North America. Its political boundaries are defined as bordering Mexico to the north, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the east, and the Pacific Ocean to the southwest. Central America is usually ...
, in
Ecuador
Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
,
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
and
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
, this
tarantulas
Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the Family (biology), family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Therap ...
are found near the shores facing the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
. Their habitat is partly in the
Choco Darien Moist Forest and partially the
Western Ecuador Moist Forests.
Species
there are 12 named species in the genus:
* ''
C. ashily''
Penaherrera-R et al., 2024 – Ecuador
* ''
C. carmencita''
Penaherrera-R, 2023 – Ecuador
* ''
C. falconi''
Penaherrera-R, 2023 – Ecuador
* ''
C. homero''
Penaherrera-R, 2023 – Ecuador
* ''
C. magna''
Sherwood et al., 2021 – Colombia
* ''
C. matildeae''
Penaherrera-R et al., 2024 – Ecuador
* ''
C. marimbai''
Perafán & Valencia-Cuéllar, 2018 – Colombia
* ''
C. otongachi''
Penaherrera-R et al., 2024 – Ecuador
* ''
C. seldeni''
Gabriel & Sherwood, 2023 – Equador
* ''
C. velox''
Pocock, 1903 – Ecuador
* ''
C. yimana''
Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 – Peru and Ecuador
* ''
C. yumbos''
Penaherrera-R et al., 2024 – Ecuador
References
Theraphosidae
Spiders described in 1903
Theraphosidae genera
{{Theraphosidae-stub