Largest and hairiest of its kind: New feather-duster-legged tarantula discovered in western Cuba

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A new species of tarantula, Trichopelma grande, has been discovered in western Cuba by researchers David Ortiz of Masaryk University, Czechia, and Elier Fonseca of the Cuban Zoological Society, Cuba. The charismatic addition to the Trichopelma genus is remarkable for its size and unique features, making it the largest and hairiest of its kind.

The Greater Antillean islands (Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico) are a natural laboratory for studying speciation. Although these islands were once connected and share many geographical characteristics, they have been separated for millions of years. This prolonged isolation with natural barriers allows each island's species to evolve in their own unique directions.

These conditions have led to explosive diversification in various groups, resulting in highly endemic species with unique adaptations. Spiders, particularly tarantulas, show remarkable diversification in this region.

In the describing study, "A hairy giant among dwarves: Trichopelma grande, a distinct new species of tarantula from Cuba (Araneae: Theraphosidae)," published in the Journal of Natural History, researchers employed phylogenomic analysis using Ultraconserved Elements (UCE) sequencing and morphological assessment to identify and classify the new species.

DNA was extracted from the specimen and sequenced, yielding high-quality data that included 1,348 target UCE loci. The data were then compared with those from 27 other theraphosid genera. Both maximum likelihood and coalescent-based phylogenetic analyses placed the new species as a sister to Trichopelma laselva from Costa Rica, confirming its placement within the genus Trichopelma.

The new species exhibits several unique features. Adult males have an abundance of long hairs on the middle and lower parts of their legs, giving the legs a feather-duster-like appearance, an attribute typically associated with tree-dwelling tarantulas and highly unusual for ground-dwelling species.

Yet Trichopelma grande was not found in trees but rather in trap-door burrows on the ground, aligning with behaviors typical of the genus Trichopelma.

Bucking the typical Trichopelma tarantula fashion trend with hairy legs is only the beginning. The abdomen displays a distinct pattern of spots and six darker and lighter transversal stripes on the dorsal side of the abdomen, separated in the center by a single longitudinal light stripe.

The spider's top is covered with thick chestnut brown hairs around the edges, while the center stays smooth and hairless, showing off its dark brown surface. Head size far surpasses that of other known species within the genus, giving it an appearance that either strikes the eye of the beholder as charming or terrifying.

Specimens were found within a limited range in the Viñales National Park, a biodiversity hotspot in western Cuba. All four captured specimens were discovered within 20 kilometers of each other, suggesting a potentially restricted distribution. The apparent scarcity of this distinctive species, coupled with its limited habitat range, raises potential conservation concerns.

More information: David Ortiz et al, A hairy giant among dwarves: Trichopelma grande , a distinct new species of tarantula from Cuba (Araneae: Theraphosidae), Journal of Natural History (2024). DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2024.2401921

Journal information: Journal of Natural History

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