Aphonopelma braunshausenii Tesmoingt, 1996

Sherwood, Danniella, 2019, Aphonopelma braunshausenii Tesmoingt, 1996 is a nomen dubium, with review of some historic morphological characters ineffective at species delineation (Araneae: Theraphosidae), Zootaxa 4657 (3), pp. 573-580 : 574-575

Aphonopelma braunshausenii Tesmoingt, 1996 nomen dubium

Aphonopelma braunshausenii Tesmoingt, 1996: 2 , f. 1–15. Type material: No type specimen deposited.

Remarks: Tesmoingt (1996) described A. braunshausenii Tesmoingt, 1996 from a single exuvia from a live specimen with no provenance other than “ Mexico ” and that it had been collected by “P. Klaas”. He noted that the colouration of live specimens and the form of the spermathecae in the exuvia was similar to that of A. schmidti Smith, 1995 [a species later synonomised with A. chalcodes Chamberlin, 1940 by Hamilton et al. (2016)]. Tesmoingt (1996) states that the differences that warranted his species separation were the form of the eyes, labium and spination of metatarsus IV. Tesmoingt (1996: 3) described the labium as follows: “en forme grossière de demisphère tronquée à la partie supérieure (celle-ci est fort peuincurvée), le labio-stemum forme une bande continue” [= hemispherical with a continual band of labial cuspules]. On the same page, he describes the number and position of spines on the metatarsus IV as: “Métatarse de la PIV composéd’épines 2 en parallèle, 1 au milieu, 1 à la naissance du scopula, enfin, une épine latérale entre les deux. A l’apical du métatarse, 3 épines serrées plus une à l’opposé inclinée vers l’intérie” [= composed of two spines in parallel, one in the middle, one at the start of the scopula and a lateral spine between the two. At the apex of the metatarsus, three sharp spines plus one opposite pointing towards the inside]. Tesmoingt (1996: 3) also considered the dimensions of the eyes as a useful taxonomic feature.

Based on examination of over one hundred and twenty specimens of North American Aphonopelma in the collections at the Natural History Museum, London (NHMUK), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle (MNHN), Oxford University Museum of Natural History (OUMNH) and the San Diego Natural History Museum (SDMC) (see material examined) it was found that none of the features used by Tesmoingt (1996) were informative in species delineation. The comparative size of [and distance between] the individual eyes was found to be negligible in all specimens [including within many intraspecific samples with the same collecting data] and not stable as a species feature ( Figs. 1–6 ). The labium in all Group I Aphonopelma (sensu Gabriel 2011) occurring in the United States and northern Mexico can be described as “hemicircular” and all have a dense covering of labial cuspules ( Figs. 7–12 ). Thus, this feature is also not stable for delineation. Finally, the spination of the metatarsus IV is also variable across specimens and indeed even when comparing the left and right hand sides of an individual specimen (pers. obs.). The number and position of spines on other leg segments also varied and thus is not a stable taxonomic feature. Whilst spination featured heavily in keys of earlier works (e.g. Chamberlin and Ivie 1939; Chamberlin 1940; Smith 1995) their works were defined from small samples sizes and thus did not account for intraspecific variation ( Prentice 1997; Hamilton et al. 2016). The description of A. braunshausenii is even more limited considering it is based on examination of a single exuvia. Prentice (1997: 144) noted variation in the number, position and size of spines on the male palpal tibia. Hamilton et al. (2016) concluded leg spination in general was a highly variable feature.

Tesmoingt (1996) does not mention any type repository in his work. Unfortunately, attempts at establishing contact with Marc Tesmoingt were unsuccessful and former collaborators of his confirmed they had also been unable to contact him for several years (J. M. Verdez pers. comm.). Enquiries were nonetheless made to two French museums which Tesmoingt had accessed in the past (Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille, Lille and Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris) but both stated they did not hold the type material of A. braunshausenii . Thus, it appears that Tesmoingt did not deposit physical type specimens and as a consequence, no specimens of this taxon exist for physical comparison.

It is possible, based on interpretation of the illustrations and the descriptions of colour, that Tesmoingt (1996) described a Mexican specimen of A. chalcodes but with no physical specimens nor a specific type locality for comparison this cannot be stated with certainty. The lack of an exact type locality also prohibits the collection of new material for neotype designation. Therefore, based on the lack of an institutionally deposited holotype, lack of an exact type locality and an inadequate description based on an exuvia, it is proposed that A. braunshausenii be regarded as a nomen dubium.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Ocular tubercles of some Aphonopelma species showing variation in size and distance between eyes, 1 Aphonopelma platnicki holotype male BMNH 1894.2.18.1, 2 Aphonopelma clarki holotype female BMNH 1959.1.2 [= A. hentzi Girard, 1853 per Hamilton et al. 2016)], 3 Aphonopelma anax non-type male OUMNH 2009-001, 4 Aphonopelma pallidum holotype male BMNH 1898.12.24.34–37, 5 Aphonopelma bicoloratum non-type male OUMNH 2011-045, 6 Aphonopelma marxi nontype male OUMNH 2007-064. Scale lines = 1mm.

FIGURES 7–12. Labia of the above Aphonopelma specimens all showing near identical morphology in shape and cuspule density, 7 Aphonopelma platnicki holotype male BMNH 1894.2.18.1, 8 Aphonopelma clarki holotype female BMNH 1959.1.2 [= A. hentzi Girard, 1853 per Hamilton et al. 2016)], 9 Aphonopelma anax non-type male OUMNH 2009-001, 10 Aphonopelma pallidum holotype male BMNH 1898.12.24.34–37, 11 Aphonopelma bicoloratum non-type male OUMNH 2011-045, 12 Aphonopelma marxi non-type male OUMNH 2007-064. Scale lines = 1mm.