Pterinopelma Pocock, 1901

Bertani, Rogério & Leal, Fernando, 2016, A new species of Pterinopelma (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from the highlands of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil and description of the male of P. sazimai, Zoologia (e 20150190) 33 (2), pp. 1-9 : 2

Pterinopelma Pocock, 1901

Pterinopelma Pocock, 1901: 551

(type species by monotypy Eurypelma vitiosa Keyserling, 1891;

Holotype male, Brazil, Taquara, in BMNH, examined); Mello-Leitão, 1923: 183, 1943: 153; Petrunkevitch 1928: 80; 1939a: 261; 1939b: 567; Bonnet 1958: 3827; Gerschman & Schiapelli 1978: 86; Valerio 1980: 276; Bertani, Nagahama & Fukushima 2011: 3.

Diagnosis (emended from BERTANI et al. 2011). Pterinopelma resembles Lasiodora , Vitalius and Nhandu in lacking accessory prolateral keels and having prolateral superior, prolateral inferior, retrolateral, subapical and apical palpal keels in male; and by the short spermathecae, separated by a heavily sclerotized short area in female. Both sexes can be distinguished from Lasiodora by the absence of stridulatory setae on the prolateral coxae. From Nhandu and Vitalius , Pterinopelma males are distinguished by the presence of denticles in the prolateral inferior keel ( P. vitiosum ) and the weakly developed male palpal bulb keels ( P. felipeleitei sp. nov.). Females of Pterinopelma can be distinguished from Nhandu females by the absence of long setae on the carapace and from Vitalius females by having the sternum as wide as long, or wider than long.

Species included. Pterinopelma vitiosum Pocock, 1901 and Pterinopelma felipeleitei sp. nov.

Remarks. The examination of morphological structures of the true male of P. sazimai suggests that the species does not belong to Pterinopelma. However, we refrain from making taxonomic changes until a cladistic analysis including this species is carried out and its position is elucidated. See the discussion for additional information.