Psalmopoeus is a genus of the family Theraphosidae containing various species of tarantulas. The genus is native to South America, Central America, Trinidad and Tobago, and Mexico.
All of these tarantulas are arboreal in nature, Psalmopoeus victori being the first arboreal tarantula of Mexico.
Diagnosis The species of this genus can be distinguished from all others of the New World by lyra (stridulatory hairs) on the prolateral maxillae, composed of a singular row of chitinous hairlike rods. They also own hairs on the base of the chelicerae, also having short hairs in the retrolateral side of the pedipalp trochanter and femur.
Venom These species are believed to be relatively venomous, and research in the venom of P. cambridgei shows it to target the same nociceptor as capsaicin, the molecule causing irritation in chilli peppers.Anitei, Stefan (2006). Chili Peppers, as Strong as Tarantula Venom. Science. These molecules activate sensory cells to send pain signals to the brain. Genetic engineers are working on blocking the receptors that are activated by these molecules. List of species , the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species: Psalmopoeus cambridgei Pocock, 1895 (type species) – Trinidad and Tobago Psalmopoeus chronoarachne Peñaherrera-R. & León-E., 2023 - Ecuador Psalmopoeus copanensis Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 - Honduras Psalmopoeus drolshageni Sherwood, Gabriel, Peñaherrera-R., Guerrero-Campoverde, León-E., Falcón-Reibán, Fajardo-Torres, Picón-Rentería & Cisneros-Heredia, 2025 - Costa Rica Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1903 – Colombia and Ecuador Psalmopoeus intermedius Chamberlin, 1940 - Panama Psalmopoeus irminia Saager, 1994 – Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil Psalmopoeus langenbucheri Schmidt, Bullmer & Thierer-Lutz, 2006 – Venezuela Psalmopoeus petenensis Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 - Guatemala Psalmopoeus pristirana Dupérré & Tapia, 2024 - Ecuador Psalmopoeus pulcher Petrunkevitch, 1925 – Panama and Colombia Psalmopoeus reduncus Karsch, 1880 – Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama Psalmopoeus sandersoni Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 - Belize Psalmopoeus satanas Peñaherrera-R. & León-E., 2023 - Ecuador Psalmopoeus victori Mendoza, 2014 – Mexico Psalmopoeus wallacea Sherwood, Gabriel, Peñaherrera-R., Guerrero-Campoverde, León-E., Falcón-Reibán, Fajardo-Torres, Picón-Rentería & Cisneros-Heredia, 2025 - Honduras Psalmopoeus zombie Sherwood, Peñaherrera-R., Gabriel, Guerrero-Campoverde, León-E., Falcón-Reibán, Fajardo-Torres, Picón-Rentería & Cisneros-Heredia, 2025 - Colombia Species inquirenda
Psalmopoeus emeraldus Pocock, 1903 – Colombia Psalmopoeus maya Witt, 1996 - Belize Psalmopoeus plantaris Pocock, 1903 – Colombia
In synonymy
Psalmopoeus longipes F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896 = Psalmopoeus cambridgei Psalmopoeus rufus Petrunkevitch, 1925 = Psalmopoeus pulcher
Nomen dubium
Psalmopoeus affinis Strand, 1907 - West Indies
References
External links
Giant Spiders