''Plesiopelma'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of South American

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 ...

that was first described by

Reginald Innes Pocock Reginald Innes Pocock, (4 March 1863 – 9 August 1947) was a British zoologist. Pocock was born in Clifton, Bristol, the fourth son of Rev. Nicholas Pocock and Edith Prichard. He began showing interest in natural history at St. Edward's ...

in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females live in silk tubes under stones with aggregate spatial distribution. The walls of these tunnels are covered by waterproof silk, protecting them from floods. In addition, there is a uniform saturated microclimate inside the tunnel, which protects the spiders from dehydration.

Species

it contains eleven species, found in

Paraguay Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...

Uruguay Uruguay, officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast, while bordering the Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

Venezuela Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...

, and

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

: *''

Plesiopelma aspidosperma ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' Ferretti & Barneche, 2013 –

*''

Plesiopelma gertschi ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' ( Caporiacco, 1955) –

*''

Plesiopelma imperatrix ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American Theraphosidae, tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both male ...

'' Piza, 1976 –

*''

Plesiopelma insulare ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' ( Mello-Leitão, 1923) – Brazil *''

Plesiopelma longisternale ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' (Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1942) – Argentina,

*''

Plesiopelma minense ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' (Mello-Leitão, 1943) – Brazil *''

Plesiopelma myodes ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' Pocock, 1901 (

type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * ...

) – Uruguay *''

Plesiopelma paganoi ''Plesiopelma paganoi'' is a tarantula in the ''Plesiopelma'' genus, this tarantula was first described by Nelson Ferretti and Jorge Barneche in 2014. It is named in honor of Luis G. Pagano, Argentinean ornithologist who helped to collect this sp ...

'' Ferretti & Barneche, 2013 – Argentina *''

Plesiopelma physopus ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' (Mello-Leitão, 1926) – Brazil *''

Plesiopelma rectimanum ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' (Mello-Leitão, 1923) – Brazil *''

Plesiopelma semiaurantiacum ''Plesiopelma'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1901. ''Plesiopelma'' species are particularly abundant along mountainous ranges, frequently living under stones. Both males and females l ...

'' (

Simon Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

, 1897) –

, Uruguay Formerly included: *''P. flavohirtum'' (Simon, 1889) (Transferred to ''

Catanduba ''Catanduba'' is a genus of South American tarantulas that was first described by F. U. Yamamoto, S. M. Lucas & Antônio Domingos Brescovit in 2012. Species it contains seven species, all found in Brazil: *'' Catanduba araguaia'' Yamamoto, Lucas ...

'')

References

Theraphosidae genera Spiders of South America Taxa named by R. I. Pocock Theraphosidae {{Theraphosidae-stub

Species

See also

References