Coremiocnemis Simon 1892

Raven, Robert J., 2005, A new tarantula species from northern Australia (Araneae, Theraphosidae), Zootaxa 1004, pp. 15-28 : 17

Coremiocnemis Simon 1892

Coremiocnemis Simon 1892: 146 ; Simon 1903: 956. Type species by original designation and monotypy, Phlogius cunicularius Simon 1892 . Type in Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, examined [N. B.: reviewers of this paper, von Wirth & Striffler have two specimens in the vial of the type species; when I examined the material in 1983 in Paris, there was only one and only one was mentioned by Simon (1892)].

Diagnosis: Differs from Selenocosmia in having the maxillary lyra consisting of long shafted paddles with long distal blades (Figs 14, 23). Coremiocnemis is a selenocosmiine theraphosid with intercheliceral peg spines (Figs 6, 37), maxillary lyra consisting of long paddles with long distal blades (Figs 14, 23), cracked fourth tarsi, and a third claw on the fourth leg.

Type species: Phlogius cunicularius Simon 1892 .

Included species: Phlogius cunicularius Simon 1892 ; Coremiocnemis valida Pocock 1895 ; Coremiocnemis tropix sp. nov.

Distribution: Malaysia and tropical north-eastern Queensland, Australia.

Remarks: On the basis of 2 males and two adult females of Yamia watasei Kishida 1920 , Haupt and Schmidt (2004: 202) concluded that the division of tarsal scopula (Figs 28-29) per se is not valid in the recognition of any theraphosid genera. However, the issue is by no means so clear and their denouncement is both oversimplified and insubstantial. Indeed, many theraphosids have the scopula of tarsi I integral and that of tarsi IV divided; Raven (1985) documented that anterior-posterior gradualism. However, a number of genera (e. g., Ischnocolus ) also have the scopula of tarsi I–III also divided and that is consistent in adults. As noted by Raven (1994: 301), Raven (1985) incorrectly keyed only Coremiocnemis as having the intercheliceral peg spines and having tarsi IV integral; intercheliceral peg spines are also present in material presumed to be the type species of Selenocosmia , S. javanensis (Walckenaer 1837) (Schmidt and von Wirth 1995) but, in the absence of a holotype of the latter, Raven (2000) set the resurrection of Phlogius L. Koch (for the Australian species placed in Selenocosmia ) aside pending a cladistic analysis of the group. Equally, a number of genera, including Coremiocnemis have the fourth tarsi cracked.