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 When a tarantula is incorrectly identified, or when an outdated name continues to be used without considering changes in taxonomy, the problem ca...

The new genus Magnacrus (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Ornithoctoninae) from Vietnam, with notes on Citharognathus hosei Pocock, 1895

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The new genus Magnacrus (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Ornithoctoninae) from Vietnam, with notes on Citharognathus hosei Pocock, 1895

Abstract

A new ornithoctonine genus, Magnacrus gen. nov., is established with two species from the Central Highlands of Vietnam. Magnacrus tongmianensis (Zhu, Li & Song, 2002) gen. nov. comb. nov. is transferred from Citharognathus Pocock, 1895, and is redescribed based on the new Vietnamese specimens; its type locality is potentially wrongly recorded, this species likely does not inhabit China. A new species, M. taynguyenensis gen. nov. sp. nov., from Vietnam is described with both sexes. The type species of Citharognathus, C. hosei Pocock, 1895, is redescribed based on the type specimen and new samples from two populations of Sarawak, Borneo. The males of M. tongmianensis gen. nov. comb. nov., and C. hosei are additionally described. Insights into natural history and conservation of all species are included. A distribution map for both Magnacrus species is provided.

Hoang, Q.D., Yu, K., Wendt, I., West, R.C. & Wirth, V.V. (2025) The new genus Magnacrus (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Ornithoctoninae) from Vietnam, with notes on Citharognathus hosei Pocock, 1895. Zootaxa, 5701 (3), 351–381. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5701.3.5