Euphrictus squamosus

Euphrictus squamosus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Mygalomorphae
Family:	Theraphosidae
Genus:	Euphrictus
Species:	E. squamosus
Binomial name
	Euphrictus squamosus; (Benoit, 1965)[1]

Euphrictus squamosus is a tarantula (family Theraphosidae) in the Selenogyrinae subfamily.[2] It is native to the Congo.[1]

Taxonomy

The species was first described by Pierre Benoit in 1965 as the type species, Zophopelma squamosa, of a new genus Zophopelma, placed in the family Barychelidae.[3] After analysing its features, Robert J. Raven considered the species to belong to the family Theraphosidae rather than Barychelidae, and also transferred it to the genus Euphrictus as E. squamosus.[4] The transfer has been accepted by most sources,[1] but Andrew M. Smith in 1990, although agreeing with the changed family placement, questioned Raven's view that Zophopelma and Euphrictus are synonymous.[2]

Characteristics

Euphrictus squamosus is characterized by yellow-white scales on its cephalothorax, for both genders. It has a slightly shorter embolus than Euphrictus spinosus. It is 11.4 mm long and reddish-brown in colour.[3]

References

"Gen. Euphrictus Hirst, 1908". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-01-17.
Smith, A.M. (1990). Baboon spiders: Tarantulas of Africa and the Middle East. London: Fitzgerald Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9510939-7-9.
Benoit, P.L.G. (1965). "Etudes sur les Barychelidae du Centre Africain (Araneae - Orthognatha) II. - Leptopelmatinae nouveaux". Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines (in French). 71: 297–303.
Raven, R.J. (1985). "The spider infraorder Mygalomorphae (Araneae): Cladistics and systematics". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 182: 1–180. hdl:2246/955.

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[WSC_g3356-1] "Gen. Euphrictus Hirst, 1908". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2016-01-17.

[Smit90-2] Smith, A.M. (1990). Baboon spiders: Tarantulas of Africa and the Middle East. London: Fitzgerald Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9510939-7-9.

[Beno65-3] Benoit, P.L.G. (1965). "Etudes sur les Barychelidae du Centre Africain (Araneae - Orthognatha) II. - Leptopelmatinae nouveaux". Revue de Zoologie et de Botanique Africaines (in French). 71: 297–303.

[Rave85-4] Raven, R.J. (1985). "The spider infraorder Mygalomorphae (Araneae): Cladistics and systematics". Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 182: 1–180. hdl:2246/955.