Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica

Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica, also known as the Rameshwaram ornamental, or Rameshwaram parachute spider, is a critically endangered species of tarantula.

Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica

Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Theraphosidae
Genus: Poecilotheria
Species:
P. hanumavilasumica
Binomial name
Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica
Smith, 2004[2]

Distribution

It was discovered in 2004 by Andrew Smith from a sacred grove of the Hanumavilasum Temple in Rameshwaram.[1]

It was initially thought to be endemic to the Ramanathapuram district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, but has since been identified outside India in the Mannar District of Northern Sri Lanka. The close proximity of Mannar island to India suggests that the species may have dispersed over the land bridge between the two countries in the Pleistocene epoch.[3][4]

Identification

In first pair of legs, ground color is daffodil yellow. Femur has a black band three quarters the part. Patella is daffodil yellow with a thin black band distally. Tibia also daffodil yellow with a thick black transverse band.[5]

In fourth pair of legs, ground color is bluish grey, with a black patch proximally. Femur having bluish grey band. Patella also bluish grey with fade black mark distally. Tibia bluish grey.[5]

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References
  1. Siliwal, M.; Molur, S. & Daniel, B.A. (2008). "Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2008: e.T63562A12681695. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T63562A12681695.en.
  2. "Taxon details Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica Smith, 2004". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  3. Nanayakkaraa, Ranil P.; Ganehiarachchib, G.A.S. Mangala; Vishvanatha, Nilantha & Kusuminda, Thambiliya Godage Tharaka (2015). "Discovery of the Critically Endangered Tarantula Species of the Genus Poecilotheria (Araneae: Theraphosidae), Poecilotheria hanumavilasumica, From Sri Lanka". Journal of Asia-Pacific Biodiversity. 8: 1–6. doi:10.1016/j.japb.2015.01.002.
  4. http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2015/02/12/critically-endangered-tarantula/
  5. Nanayakkara, Ranil P. (2014). Tiger Spiders Poecilotheria of Sri Lanka. Colombo: Biodiversity Secretariat, Ministry of Environmental & Renewable Energy. p. 167. ISBN 978-955-0033-58-4.
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