Aphonopelma catalina

Hamilton, Hendrixson & Bond, 2016

Santa Catalina Mountain Tarantula

Aphonopelma catalina is a tarantula described in 2016 from the Santa Catalina Mountains of southeastern Arizona. It belongs to a of large-bodied, ground-dwelling to the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other Aphonopelma species, it exhibits characteristics typical of mygalomorph spiders, including simple that complicate species identification. The species is to a single mountain range, making it vulnerable to loss.

Aphonopelma catalina by (c) Chris A. Hamilton, Brent E. Hendrixson, Jason E. Bond, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.

Aphonopelma catalina female ZooKeys 560 by Chris A. Hamilton, Brent E. Hendrixson, Jason E. Bond. Used under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aphonopelma catalina: /ˌæfəˈnoʊpəlmə ˌkætəˈliːnə/

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Aphonopelma catalina is one of several small, dark-colored tarantula confined to single mountain ranges in southeastern Arizona. Species-level identification within Aphonopelma is complicated by morphological similarity; reliable determination requires integrative analysis incorporating anatomical, genetic, distributional, and ecological data rather than visual characteristics alone. The species is distinguished from other Aphonopelma by its restricted geographic range in the Santa Catalina Mountains and its specific combination of morphological and molecular traits.

Images

Habitat

The is to the Santa Catalina Mountains in southeastern Arizona, part of the Madrean Sky Islands . These montane forest are characterized by mid- to high-elevation forests isolated from each other by surrounding desert and arid grasslands.

Distribution

Known only from the Santa Catalina Mountains in southeastern Arizona, United States. This restricted distribution is typical of several Aphonopelma to individual mountain ranges in the Madrean Archipelago.

Seasonality

males are most likely to be observed during the warmer months when they abandon burrows to search for mates. Activity patterns follow the general Aphonopelma pattern of summer male , though specific seasonal data for this is limited.

Ecological Role

As a ground-dwelling , the contributes to control within its montane forest . Its restricted range makes it a component of the unique characteristic of Madrean Sky Island .

Human Relevance

The has potential vulnerability to collection for the pet trade due to its rarity and restricted distribution. Its discovery highlights the importance of museum collections and field research in documenting in underexplored regions.

Similar Taxa

Aphonopelma jacobiiAlso a small, dark tarantula to a single mountain range in southeastern Arizona (Chiricahua Mountains), requiring integrative taxonomic methods for differentiation
Other Aphonopelma speciesMany in this are frustratingly similar morphologically, with similarly sized species often indistinguishable by appearance alone across their distributions

More Details

Conservation Concern

The ' confinement to a single mountain range makes it vulnerable to climate change, fragmentation, wildfire, and recreational development. The Madrean Sky Island forests where it occurs are projected to significant habitat loss as warming temperatures push suitable conditions upslope and off mountain peaks.

Taxonomic Significance

Aphonopelma catalina was one of 14 new Aphonopelma described from the United States in 2016, nearly doubling the known species count for the Southwest. Its description exemplifies the integrative taxonomic approach combining , phylogenomics, , and distribution data necessary to resolve this morphologically conservative .