Chaetopelma olivaceum C. L. Koch 1841
Creators: name: Guadanucci, José Paulo L.
name: Gallon, Richard C.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2008
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Theraphosidae
Chaetopelma
Chaetopelma olivaceum

description: Chaetopelma olivaceum (C. L. Koch 1841)
Figures 1–10
Mygale olivacea C. L. Koch 1841: 34, fig. 712 (DΨ).
Ischnocolus gracilis Ausserer 1871: 187 (D imm. Ψ); Smith 1987: 88, not figs. 58b, 58h, 58k (imm. Ψ), 1990: 127, figs. 787–802 (Ψ); Schmidt 1993: 57, fig. 30 (Ψ). New synonymy.
Ischnocolus syriacus Ausserer 1871: 189 (DΨ). New synonymy.
Chaetopelma aegyptiaca Ausserer 1871: 191 (D ɗ Ψ)
Avicularia tetramera Simon 1873: 201 (DΨ). New synonymy.
Avicularia striatocauda Simon 1873: 203 (D♂Ψ).
Nemesia concolor Simon 1873: 215 (DΨ). New synonymy.
Ischnocolus striatocauda: Ausserer 1875: 173.
Cratorrhagus tetramera: Simon 1892: 137.
Chaetopelma olivaceum: Simon 1892: 140, fig. 124.
Cratorrhagus concolor: Simon 1903: 926; Schmidt 1986: 40, figs. 3–6 (♂)
Chaetopelma olivaceum: Strand 1907a: 21 (♂Ψ) syn., 1907b: 217, 1916: 20; Smith 1990: 113, figs. 652–668 (♂Ψ); Schmidt 1993: 56, figs. 18–19 (♂Ψ).
Cratorrhagus tetramerus: Reimoser 1919: 8.
Chaetopelma shabati Hassan 1950: 163, figs. 1–10 (D♂Ψ); Smith 1990: 114, figs. 669–685 (♂Ψ). New synonymy.
Cratorrhagus tetrameris: Bonnet 1956: 1247.
Chaetopelma adenense: Smith 1990: 109, figs. 601–607, 609–616 (D♂). Misidentification.
Chaetopelma aegyptacium (lapsus): Smith 1990: 110, figs. 617–631 (♂).
Cratorrhagus tetramerus: Smith 1990: 116.
Ischnocolus jerusalemensis Smith 1990: 130, figs. 830–846 (DΨ). New synonymy.
Chaetopelma aegyptiacum: Schmidt 1993: 56, fig. 17 (♂).
Chaetopelma anatolicum Schmidt & Smith 1995: 1, figs. 1–9 (D♂Ψ)
Chaetopelma gracilis: Vollmer 1997: 5, figs. 1–2 (Ψ) syn.; Schmidt 2005: 13, figs. 8 unnumbered, pl. 2 unnumbered (♂Ψ) syn.
Material examined. Type material: holotype Ψ (repository unknown) of Chaetopelma olivaceum from Egypt; not examined. Holotype imm. Ψ (NMW 114) of Ischnocolus gracilis from Cyprus, Dr Kotschy, leg.; examined. Holotype Ψ of Ischnocolus syriacus (NMW 166) from Syria; examined. Type series (ɗΨ) of C. aegyptiaca (repository unknown), from Egypt; not examined. Holotype imm. ɗ of Avicularia tetramera (MNHN 4620) from Liban (= Lebanon), M. Ch. De la Brùlerie leg.; examined. Syntypes ɗΨ (MNHN) of Avicularia striatocauda from Lebanon, M. Ch. De la Brùlerie, leg.; not examined. Paralectotypes, 8Ψ (MNHN 4623) of Nemesia concolor from Saïda, Syria, M. Ch. De la Brùlerie leg.; examined. Holotype ɗ of Chaetopelma shabati (repository unknown) from Egypt, presumably near Fayoum – precise locality not stated; not examined. Holotype Ψ of Ischnocolus jerusalemensis (BMNH 95.11.9.45–46) from Jerusalem, Israel, Hew Rolle leg.; examined. Holotype ɗ (SMF) of Chaetopelma anatolicum from the Mediterranean coast, Turkey, 1993, I. Skliba leg.; not examined.
Additional material examined: SAUDI ARABIA: 1ɗ2Ψ (SMF 2661) E. Rüppell leg.; EGYPT: 4ɗ (ZMB 144); 2ɗ (NMW 103) Phasan leg., 17.III.1878; 1Ψ (NMW 100) 6.I.1852; 1ɗ1Ψ (BMNH 90.7.1.398- 400) Keyserling collection; Alexandria: 2ɗ3Ψ (NMW 102) Kirchner leg., 1.IV.1868; Cairo: 1Ψ (BMNH 1950. 3.7.60) A.G. Biggam leg., 13.IV.1937; 1Ψ (BMNH 14.10.2.1); 1Ψ (BMNH 1948.11.23.19) A.I. Hassan leg., III.1948; 3Ψ (MNHN 4677); 1Ψ (SMF) Dr. E. Bannwarth leg., 10.I.1913; 1ɗ and 1 imm. (ZMB) Dr. Valentinar leg., 1879/80; Mansurah: 1Ψ (ZMUC 631) I. Sorensen leg., 24.IV.86; Thebes: 1Ψ (SMF 8573); Tor: 1Ψ (SMF 4923) E. Rüppell leg.; CYPRUS: 2Ψ (BMNH 09.9.8.1.2) J. Buck leg.; Asprokremnos: 1ɗ (BMNH) 13.VIII.1927, T.R.R. Stebbing leg.; Ayia Napa: 1ɗ (BMNH), hotel reception area, Dave James leg., V.2002; Lapta: 1ɗ 1Ψ (BMNH), stonewalls from houses, Volker von Wirth leg. IV.1996; 1ɗ1Ψ (OUMNH), stonewalls from houses, Volker von Wirth leg. IV.1996; ISRAEL: 1 imm. (ZSM 987) G. Müller leg., 4.IV.1987; Acca (=Acre): 1ɗ1Ψ (CUMZ) J. Cropper leg., 30.VIII.1899 (registration date); Jaffa: 1ɗ3Ψ (NMW 105) Steindachner leg., 15.II.1885; Jerusalem: 1ɗ (BMNH) 29.V.1962, W. Wermuth leg.; 1 imm. (ZMUC 623) I. Sorensen leg., 24.IV.86; 1ɗ and 1 imm. (NMW 108) Rhimoser leg.; 1Ψ (NMW 104) Reitter leg., 30.IV.1882; 1Ψ (ZMB) J. Rotte leg.; 1ɗ (BMNH), captive raised, Yinnon Dolev leg.; 1ɗ (BMNH) Yinnon Dolev leg., 11.XI.2005; Haifa: 1ɗ (SMF 2662); Latrun: 1ɗ (BMNH), missing emboli, Yinnon Dolev leg.; 1ɗ (BMNH) Yinnon Dolev leg., collected 18.IV.2005, matured VI.2005 (died X.2006); Shoham: 1ɗ (BMNH) Yinnon Dolev leg.; JORDAN: Amman: 1ɗ (BMNH) J.B. Philly, 3–19.X.1924; LEBANON: 1ɗ (ZMUH 1003); Amyun: 2ɗ (BMNH 1950.3.30.122.123), H.B. Cott leg., 1944; 2Ψ (BMNH 1950.3.30.125.127), H.B. Cott leg., 1944; 2Ψ (BMNH 1950.3.30.20.21), H.B. Cott leg., 1944; 1ɗ1Ψ (BMNH), H.B. Cott leg., 1944; Beirut: 7ɗ15Ψ and 2 imms. (MNHN 975); 3Ψ and 3 imms. (NMW 106) 2.I.1886; 1 imm. (ZMUH A71/74) U. Lechner leg., 4.XII.1973; 2ɗ1Ψ (ZMUH A71/74) U. Lechner leg., 5.X.1974; Yatar: 2ɗ (RMNH) J. Woluekamp leg., 1979; PALESTINE: 1Ψ (BMNH 1893.11.5.1) A.S. Woodward leg.; 1ɗ (ZMB); SYRIA: 1ɗ (OUMNH) Hensederer leg., 1863 (Hope-Westwood dry tray Arachnida 16); 2ɗ8Ψ and 1 imm. (NMW) Plason leg., 1879; 1ɗ1Ψ and 2 imms. (ZMB 30754), Ehrnbgerg leg.; 1ɗ1Ψ (ZMB 30755) Ehrnbgerg leg.; 1Ψ (ZMB) Dr. Baumgarten leg., 1982; 2ɗ1Ψ and 1 imm. (ZMUH) Sehlüter leg., 1895; Jobet Birkghal: 1Ψ (BMNH) Vladimír Šejna leg., VII.1994; Salahudin temple: 1Ψ (BMNH) Vladimír Šejna leg., collected VII.1994 (died X.1995); SUDAN: Wadi Halfa: 1ɗ1Ψ (MRAC 147161) F.L. Tomkins leg., 1949; TURKEY: Aintab: 1ɗ (BMNH 89.10.16.2) J.H. Leech leg.; Cevlik: 1ɗ (BMNH) Vladimír Šejna leg., 1999; Istanbul: 1ɗ (SMF 2663).
Diagnosis: Males are distinguished from those of other species by the morphology of the tibial apophysis (Figs. 3–4) and palpal bulb (Figs. 5–7) (except C. karlamani). Males differ from those of C. karlamani, which shows very similar genitalia morphology, by the retrolateral branch of the tibial apophysis being wider at the apical portion and bearing a row of more than 9 spines (Figs. 3–4). Females are distinguished by spermathecal morphology consisting of two long, thin receptacula which curve outwards with bilobed termini (Fig. 8).
Description: Male (BMNH 1950.3.30.122-123). Total length 35.3. Carapace: length 16.1, width 13.7. Eye tubercle: length 1.6, width 2.0; anterior row procurved, posterior row slightly recurved, clypeus very narrow. Labium: length 2.0, width 2.6. Sternum: length 6.7; width 5.9. Chelicerae with 12 teeth of similar size on promarginal groove. Labium as wide as long with ca.55 cuspules. Maxillae with ca.110 cuspules on inner angle. Sternum oval. Fovea slightly recurved. Palp: femur 9.0/ patella 5.3/ tibia 6.7/ cymbium 2.7/ total 23.7. Legs I: femur 14.1/ patella 7.6/ tibia 11.1/ metatarsus 9.7/ tarsus 5.5/ total 48.0. II: 12.5/ 7.1/ 9.2/ 8.8/ 5.4/ 43.0. III: 11.0/ 6.1/ 7.7/ 9.4/ 5.4/ 39.6 IV: 14.2/ 6.7/ 11.1/ 13.5/ 6.2/ 51.7. Spines. Palp: tibia (p) 0–2–0. Legs: I: tibia (v) 0–1–1, (p) 0–1–1, metatarsus (v) ap 1. II: tibia (v) 1–1–ap3, (p) 0–0–1, metatarsus (v) ap 1. III: tibia (v) 2–3–ap2, (p) 0–0–1, (r) 1–0–1, metatarsus (v) 2–2–ap3, (p) 1–1–1, (r) 0–1– 1. IV: tibia (v) 2–2–ap2, (p) 0– 0–1, (r) 1–0–2, metatarsus (v) 2–2–ap3, (p) 1–1–1, (r) 0–2–2. Palpal bulb with long very thin embolus, with helicoid torsion (Figs. 5–7). Tibial apophysis comprising two branches: prolateral branch short, with one adjacent spine inserted at base of branch; retrolateral branch long and curved, wider at distal portion, with apical row of 12 spines (Figs. 3–4). Metatarsus I curved, bends over retrolateral branch of apophysis. Metatarsal scopulae extent (ventral surfaces only): I–II along entire length; III on distal half; IV on distal third. Tarsal scopulae (ventral surfaces only): I entire with longitudinal band of setae; II–IV divided.
Female (BMNH 1950.3.30.125–127). Total length 43.3. Carapace: length 16.3, width 14.3. Eye tubercle: length 1.5, width 2.2; anterior row procurved, posterior recurved, clypeus very narrow. Labium: length 2.1, width 2.7. Sternum: length 6.7, width 5.8. Chelicerae with 13 teeth of similar size on promargin. Labium as wide as long with ca.56 cuspules. Maxillae with ca.100 cuspules on inner angle. Sternum oval. Fovea transverse. Palp: femur 8.3/ patella 5.2/ tibia 5.4/ tarsus 5.8/ total 24.7. Legs I: femur 11.7/ patella 7.3/ tibia 8.4/ metatarsus 7.1/ tarsus 4.8/ total 39.3. II: 10.6/ 6.6/ 7.1/ 6.7/ 4.4/ 35.4. III: 9.3/ 5.7/ 6.1/ 7.3/ 4.5/ 32.9. IV: 12.1/ 6.4/ 9.3/ 10.8/ 5.5/ 44.1. Spines. Palp: tibia (v) 0–1–ap3, (p) 0–1–0. Legs: I: tibia (v) ap1, metatarsus (v) ap 1. II: tibia (v) ap2, (p) 0–0–1, metatarsus (v) 1–0–ap 1. III: patella (p) 1, tibia (v) 2–2–ap2, (p) 0–0–1, (r)1–0–1, metatarsus (v) 2–2–ap3, (p) 1–1–1, (r) 0–1– 1. IV: tibia (v) 2–3–ap2, (r) 1–0–1, metatarsus (v) 3–2–ap3, (p) 1– 1–1, (r) 0–1–1. Spermathecae comprising two receptacula, each longer than wide, very thin in apical quarter, terminally bilobed and outward facing (Fig. 8). Metatarsal scopulae extent (ventral surfaces only): I–II along entire length; III on slightly more than distal half; IV on slightly less than distal half. Tarsal scopulae (ventral surfaces only): I entire with longitudinal band of setae; II–IV divided.
Distribution: Known from Cyprus, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria and Turkey. Hassan (1950) also notes that this species occurs in Iraq.
Ecology: Spiders were found under stones and boulders in open and lightly wooded areas and also in gardens (Simon 1873; Smith 1990; Pedersen 2006; V. von Wirth pers. comm.). They do not appear to construct separate burrows, instead excavating a silk-lined chamber beneath rocks. In both Israel and Cyprus, the spiders are associated with dry stone walls (V. von Wirth & Y. Dolev pers. comm.). They also occur in dark damp places, such as drains, lavatories, ruins and old wells within towns (Hassan 1950, 1988). C. olivaceum occurs sympatrically with C. karlamani in Cyprus (V. von Wirth pers. comm.). Males are mature between February and May, and also in August and October.
Remarks: Concerning the synonyms proposed here, examination of the genitalia of all the types showed no significant structural differences. Distribution records are those of the senior synonym.
description: Published as part of Guadanucci, José Paulo L. & Gallon, Richard C., 2008, A revision of the spider genera Chaetopelma Ausserer 1871 and Nesiergus Simon 1903 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Ischnocolinae), pp. 34-48 in Zootaxa 1753 on pages 36-39, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.181769