Psalmopoeus

Psalmopoeus is a genus of the family Theraphosidae containing various species of tarantulas. The genus is native to Trinidad and Tobago, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil, Belize, Panama, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. All of these tarantulas are arboreal in nature, Psalmopoeus victori being the first arboreal tarantula of Mexico.

Psalmopoeus
Psalmopoeus irminia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Mygalomorphae
Family:	Theraphosidae
Genus:	Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895[1]
Type species
Psalmopoeus cambridgei Pocock, 1895
Species
10, see text

Venom

These species are believed to be relatively venomous, and research in the venom of P. cambridgei shows it to be similar to capsaicin, the molecule causing irritation in chilli peppers.^[2] 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.^[2]

Diagnosis

The species of this genus can be distinguished from all others by the lyriform organ in the prolateral maxillae, composed of a singular row of thick hairlike bristles. They also own hairs on the base of the chelicerae, also having short hairs in the retrolateral side of the pedipalp trochanter and femur.^[3]

List of species

As of July 2022^[update], the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species:^[1]

• Psalmopoeus cambridgei Pocock, 1895 (type species) – Trinidad and Tobago
• Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1903 – Colombia and Ecuador
• Psalmopoeus emeraldus Pocock, 1903 – Colombia
• Psalmopoeus irminia Saager, 1994 – Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil
• Psalmopoeus langenbucheri Schmidt, Bullmer & Thierer-Lutz, 2006 – Venezuela

P. langenbucheri

• Psalmopoeus maya Witt, 1996 - Belize
• Psalmopoeus plantaris Pocock, 1903 – Colombia
• Psalmopoeus pulcher Petrunkevitch, 1925 – Panama and Colombia
• Psalmopoeus reduncus (Karsch, 1880) – Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama
• Psalmopoeus victori Mendoza, 2014 – Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras

In synonymy

• Psalmopoeus copanensis Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 = Psalmopoeus victori
• Psalmopoeus intermedius Chamberlin, 1940 = Psalmopoeus reduncus
• Psalmopoeus petenensis Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 = Psalmopoeus victori
• Psalmopoeus rufus Petrunkevitch, 1925 = Psalmopoeus pulcher
• Psalmopoeus sandersoni Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 = Psalmopoeus victori

Nomen dubium

• Psalmopoeus affinis Strand, 1907 - West Indies