Harpactirinae
Encyclopedia
Harpactirinae are a subfamily of old-world tarantula
s which are native to the continent of Africa
. Like many old-world tarantulas, they have a strong venom, and can inflict a painful bite; however most baboon spiders are not considered dangerous to man. One species, Harpactirella lightfooti, is considered by many to have a medically significant bite, but this has not been confirmed scientifically.
for digging. Habitats include savanna
woodlands, grasslands, and dry scrublands.
Augacephalus Gallon, 2002
Pocock, 1897
Pocock, 1897
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
s which are native to the continent of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. Like many old-world tarantulas, they have a strong venom, and can inflict a painful bite; however most baboon spiders are not considered dangerous to man. One species, Harpactirella lightfooti, is considered by many to have a medically significant bite, but this has not been confirmed scientifically.
Description
Harpactirinae are ground-dwelling spiders who build silk-lined burrows, often under debris such as stones, using their fangs and cheliceraeChelicerae
The chelicerae are mouthparts of the Chelicerata, an arthropod subphylum that includes arachnids, Merostomata , and Pycnogonida . Chelicerae are pointed appendages which are used to grasp food, and are found in place of the chewing mandibles most other arthropods have...
for digging. Habitats include savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
woodlands, grasslands, and dry scrublands.
Systematics
The following genera and species are present in Harpactirinae. In addition, the genus Brachionopus (Pocock, 1897) has been suggested for placement in this sub-family, but its taxonomy is currently disputed.Augacephalus
- Augacephalus breyeri (Hewitt, 1919) (South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland)
- Augacephalus junodi (Simon, 1904) (East, South Africa)
- Augacephalus ezendami (Gallon, 2010) (South Africa)
Ceratogyrus
CeratogyrusCeratogyrus
Ceratogyrus is a genus of southern African theraphosid spiders, commonly called horned baboons, for the foveal horn found on the peltidium in some of the species within the genus....
Pocock, 1897
- Ceratogyrus brachycephalusCeratogyrus brachycephalusCeratogyrus brachycephalus is an old world terrestrial tarantula that grows to a legspan of up to 5 inches . The common name comes from the "horn", or protuberance, on the carapace.-Pet tarantula:...
Hewitt, 1919 (Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa) - Ceratogyrus darlingi Pocock, 1897 (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
- Ceratogyrus dolichocephalus Hewitt, 1919 (Zimbabwe)
- Ceratogyrus ezendami Gallon, 2001 (Mozambique)
- Ceratogyrus hillyardi (Smith, 1990) (Malawi)
- Ceratogyrus marshalli Pocock, 1897 (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
- Ceratogyrus meridionalis (Hirst, 1907) (Malawi, Mozambique)
- Ceratogyrus paulseni Gallon, 2005 (South Africa)
- Ceratogyrus pillansi (Purcell, 1902) (Zimbabwe, Mozambique)
- Ceratogyrus sanderi Strand, 1906 (Namibia, Zimbabwe)
Eucratoscelus
Eucratoscelus Pocock, 1898- Eucratoscelus constrictus (Gerstäcker, 1873) (Kenya, Tanzania)
- Eucratoscelus pachypus Schmidt & von Wirth, 1990 (Tanzania)
Harpactira
Harpactira Ausserer, 1871- Harpactira atra (Latreille, 1832) (South Africa)
- Harpactira baviana Purcell, 1903 (South Africa)
- Harpactira cafreriana (Walckenaer, 1837) (South Africa)
- Harpactira chrysogaster Pocock, 1897 (South Africa)
- Harpactira curator Pocock, 1898 (South Africa)
- Harpactira curvipes Pocock, 1897 (South Africa)
- Harpactira dictator Purcell, 1902 (South Africa)
- Harpactira gigasHarpactira gigasHarpactira gigas, sometimes called the common baboon spider, is a species of spider belonging to the family Theraphosidae. It is found in South Africa from Western Cape Province north to Mpumalanga Province....
Pocock, 1898 (South Africa) - Harpactira guttata Strand, 1907 (South Africa)
- Harpactira hamiltoni Pocock, 1902 (South Africa)
- Harpactira lineata Pocock, 1897 (South Africa)
- Harpactira lyrata (Simon, 1892) (South Africa)
- Harpactira marksi Purcell, 1902 (South Africa)
- Harpactira namaquensis Purcell, 1902 (Namibia, South Africa)
- Harpactira pulchripes Pocock, 1901 (South Africa)
- Harpactira tigrina Ausserer, 1875 (South Africa)
Harpactirella
Harpactirella Purcell, 1902- Harpactirella domicola Purcell, 1903 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella helenae Purcell, 1903 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella insidiosa (Denis, 1960) (Morocco)
- Harpactirella karrooica Purcell, 1902 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella lapidaria Purcell, 1908 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella lightfooti Purcell, 1902 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella longipes Purcell, 1902 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella magna Purcell, 1903 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella schwarzi Purcell, 1904 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella spinosa Purcell, 1908 (South Africa)
- Harpactirella treleaveni Purcell, 1902 (South Africa)
Idiothele
Idiothele Hewitt, 1919- Idiothele nigrofulva (Pocock, 1898) (Southern Africa)
- Idiothele mira (Gallon, 2010) (South Africa)
Pterinochilus
PterinochilusPterinochilus
Pterinochilus is a genus of baboon spiders, first described in 1897 by British zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock. The type species is P. vorax.-References: : , version 9.5. American Museum of Natural History....
Pocock, 1897
- Pterinochilus alluaudi Berland, 1914 (Kenya)
- Pterinochilus chordatus (Gerstäcker, 1873) (East Africa)
- Pterinochilus cryptus Gallon, 2008 — Angola
- Pterinochilus lugardi Pocock, 1900 (Southern, East Africa)
- Pterinochilus murinusPterinochilus murinusThe baboon spider Pterinochilus murinus, an old-world tarantula, was first described in 1897 by Reginald Innes Pocock. This species is found on the African continent, in Angola, as well as central, eastern, and southern Africa....
Pocock, 1897 (Angola, Central, East, Southern Africa) - Pterinochilus simoni Berland, 1917 (Angola, Congo)
- Pterinochilus vorax Pocock, 1897 (Angola, Central, East Africa)
Trichognathella
Trichognathella Gallon, 2004- Trichognathella schoenlandi (Pocock, 1900) (South Africa)