Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895

(Figs 19, 145–310)

Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895: 170, 178, pl. 10, fig. 3; 1901: 547; 1903: 84; Pickard-Cambridge F. 1896: 896 (= Santaremia, in part, S. longipes); Simon 1903: 959, 960; Mello-Leitão 1923: 314, 391; Petrunkevitch 1928: 82; Roewer 1942: 256; Bonnet 1958: 3798; Raven 1985: 118; World Spider Catalog 2021.

Tapinauchenius: Karsch, 1880: 387 (in part: T. reduncus); Pickard-Cambridge. F: 1897: 14, 40.

Santaremia: Pickard-Cambridge F. 1896: 749 (in part, S. longipes = P. cambridgei).

Type species. Psalmopoeus cambridgei Pocock, 1895 by monotypy.

Diagnosis. The species of Psalmopoeus can be distinguished from Ephebopus by lacking a urticating setae pad on the prolateral distal femur of palp. They differ from Tapinauchenius and Amazonius n. gen. by the presence of a maxillary lyra with one row of thick bristles in conjunction with a row of long filiform setae strikers on the base of the ventral chelicera, before the teeth row (Figs 156–157); presence of short coverage setae densely grouped and smooth setae on the retrolateral side of the trochanter palp and femur, and on the prolateral and retrolateral sides of the same articles of leg I (Figs 1–2, 8–13).

Distribution. Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panamá, Colombia, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Ecuador and Brazil.

Composition. Psalmopoeus cambridgei Pocock, 1895, Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1903, Psalmopoeus emeraldus Pocock, 1903, Psalmopoeus irminia Saager, 1994, Psalmopoeus langenbucheri Schmidt, Bullmer & Thierer-Lutz, 2006, Psalmopoeus plantaris Pocock, 1903, Psalmopoeus pulcher Petrunkevitch, 1925, Psalmopoeus reduncus (Karsch, 1880), Psalmopoeus victori Mendoza, 2014 .

Redescription. Carapace longer than wide, cephalic region slightly raised. Cephalic and thoracic striae conspicuous. Fovea straight, deep. Chelicerae without rastellum. Retrolateral side of chelicerae with densely grouped short and ordered coverage setae (Fig. 4). Strikers:1–3 lines of 4–9 spaced, long filiform setae disposed on ventralbasal portion of chelicera before the teeth row (Fig. 157). Eye tubercle slightly raised or raised, wider than long. Clypeus absent. Anterior eye row straight. Labium wider than long, with ca. 87–195 cuspules concentrated on anterior third center. Maxillary lyra well-developed, formed by a line of thick setae (Fig. 156). Maxilla sub-rectangular, anterior lobe distinctly produced into conical process, inner angle bearing ca. 105–240 cuspules. Labiosternal groove shallow, flat, with two slightly separate sigilla. Sternum longer than wide, posterior angle acute, not separating coxae IV. Sigilla: three pairs, posterior oval, anterior small, all one diameter or less from margin, some pairs sometimes not evident. Leg formula: I=IV II III (most species), or I = II = IV III ( P. cambridgei and P. irminia males). Laterally directed setae on metatarsi and tibiae in males. Clavate trichobothria on distal 2/3 of tarsi. Scopula of tarsi and metatarsi I–II very extended laterally giving them a spatulate appearance. Femora IV without retrolateral scopula. Stridulatory setae absent on coxae of legs. Short and ordered coverage setae densely grouped on the retrolateral side of the maxillae/coxae, trochanter and proximal part of femur of palp and prolateral side of the same articles of leg I (Figs 1–2). Legs with spines on ventral apical tibiae and metatarsi, without central spines. ITC absent; STC with small denticles. Posterior lateral spinnerets digitiform. Urticating setae lacking. Male tibiae I with tibial apophysis with two processes, retrolateral longer than prolateral, metatarsi I folds on retrolateral side of tibial apophysis. A protuberance behind retrolateral process.Tibiae II lacking apophysis. Globose bulb with small subtegulum; prominence on prolateral tegulum weakly developed ( P. ecclesiasticus) or developed (other species). Embolus not flattened, lacking keels, long, ending in curved tip ( P. reduncus and P. victori) or straight (other species). Embolus proximal portion straight in frontal view. Cymbium sub-triangular in retrolateral view, with almost equal lobes, without developed rounded process on retrolateral lobe. Spermathecae straight, completely separated, elongate with well defined projections or lobes on apical and middle area (except P. reduncus and P. victori). All species showing ontogenetic changes on abdominal pattern. Brownish juveniles lacking metallic green or blue sheen, with black tarsi contrasting with other lighter articles.

Key to Psalmopoeus species

Males

1 Maxillary lyra with curved setae in curved line (Fig. 225); copulatory palpal bulb with embolus more than 5 times longer than tegulum length in retrolateral view, with very curved second half portion of embolus (Fig. 217)........... P. ecclesiasticus

- Maxillary lyra with roughly straight setae in crescent line (Fig. 154); copulatory palpal bulb shorter than 4.5 times tegulum length, with slightly curved second half portion of embolus (Fig. 146)........................................... 2

2 Embolus less than 2.5 times tegulum length in retrolateral view (Fig. 183)........................................ 3

- Embolus more than 2.6 times tegulum length in retrolateral view (Fig. 146)....................................... 4

3 Embolus lacking constriction in proximal part (Figs 183–186).......................................... P. reduncus

- Embolus with constriction in proximal part (see Mendonza 2014: figs 18–20)............................... P. victori

4 Retrolateral process of tibial apophysis broad at base, narrowing abruptly to tip (Figs 242–244)................ P. pulcher

- Retrolateral process of tibial apophysis narrow at base, tapering to tip (Figs 150–152)............................... 5

5 Embolus less than 3 times tegulum length in retrolateral view (Fig. 293).............................. P. langenbucheri

- Embolus more than 3 times tegulum length (Fig. 146)........................................................ 6

6 Embolus slender and distal third curving gently to retrolateral side (dorsal view) (Fig. 279).................... P. irminia

- Embolus thicker and distal third curving abruptly to retrolateral side (dorsal view) (Fig. 149)............... P. cambridgei

Females

1 Spermathecae lacking lobes, or with ill-defined lobe (Fig. 191)................................................. 2

- Spermathecae with well-defined lobes (Fig. 153)............................................................ 3

2 Spermathecae long, distal area well sclerotized (Fig. 309); long reddish setae over legs III, IV(Fig. 310).......... P. victori

- Spermathecae short, distal area medially sclerotized (Fig. 191); brownish setae over leg IV (Fig. 216).......... P. reduncus

3 Maxillary lyra with curved setae (Fig. 227), spermathecae curved at apex (Fig. 224)........... Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus

- Maxillary lyra with roughly straight setae (Fig. 156), straight spermathecae at apex (Fig. 153)........................ 4

4 Elongate spermathecae with sclerotized lobes (Fig. 153); abdomen dorsum of adults with color pattern or spot (Fig. 177)... 5

- Triangular spermathecae with weakly sclerotized lobes, apical lobe very joined to lobes of the central area (Fig. 300); abdomen dorsum of adults lacking pattern or spots (Fig. 305).................................... Psalmopoeus langenbucheri

5 Spermathecae broad, narrowing abruptly at tip (Fig. 245); abdominal color pattern with longitudinal central line connected with large black spot on posterior portion of abdomen (Fig. 272).................................... Psalmopoeus pulcher

- Spermathecae tapering to tip (Fig. 153); abdominal color pattern with longitudinal dark line connected with transverse lines. ................................................................................................... 6

6 Spermatheca with long digitiform apical lobe and oval and very protruding lobes in its central area (Fig. 153); grayish to brownish general coloration with abdominal color pattern and orange spots on tarsi and metatarsi (Fig. 177)................................................................................................... Psalmopoeus cambridgei

- Spermatheca apical lobe rounded (Fig. 283); blackish coloration with abdominal color pattern and orange spots on tarsi and metatarsi conspicuous (Fig. 288)......................................................... Psalmopoeus irminia