When Tarantula Venom Comes from a Misnamed Spider: The Importance of Taxonomic Accuracy in Theraphosid Toxinology

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  When Tarantula Venom Comes from a Misnamed Spider: The Importance of Taxonomic Accuracy in Theraphosid Toxinology I am very happy to share my most recent publication in Toxicon. This is a particularly meaningful publication for me because it brings together two areas that have become an important part of my work and personal interests: tarantulas and toxinology. At first glance, taxonomy and venom research may seem like two very different fields. In reality, they are closely connected. Before we can properly study the venom of a spider, we need to know which spider we are actually studying. Why the Name Matters A scientific name is much more than a label attached to an animal. It connects that animal to everything we report about it, including its biology, distribution, behavior, venom, toxins, and even its potential medical importance. When a tarantula is incorrectly identified, or when an outdated name continues to be used without considering changes in taxonomy, the problem ca...

A new dwarf theraphosid spider species of the genus Phlogiellus Pocock, 1897 (Aranei: Theraphosidae) from Vietnam

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A new dwarf theraphosid spider species of the genus Phlogiellus Pocock, 1897 (Aranei: Theraphosidae) from Vietnam

Abstract

A new alyrate species of the dwarf theraphosid genus Phlogiellus Pocock, 1897, P. birulai Bariev et Logunov, sp.n., is described from the Bidoup– Nui Ba National Park, Vietnam based on a female series. The new species can be clearly distinguished from other alyrate congeners in possessing a unique conformation of the spermathecae, which are almost uniform width throughout their length. A male lectotype is designated for Selenocosmia subinermis Giltay, 1934, described from Bokor (Cambodia), with notes on the nomenclature of this taxon. 

Bariev T.B., Logunov D.V., Son L.X. 2024. A new dwarf theraphosid spider species of the genus Phlogiellus Pocock, 1897 (Aranei: Theraphosidae) from Vietnam // Arthropoda Selecta. Vol.33. No.4. P.582–588. doi: 10.15298/arthsel.33.4.12