Aphonopelma marxi

(Simon, 1891)

Grand Canyon Black Tarantula

Aphonopelma marxi is a North American tarantula in the Theraphosidae, commonly known as the Grand Canyon Black Tarantula. It is a medium-sized, dark-colored species belonging to the 'Marxi species group' of mainly black, high-elevation tarantulas. The species was first described in 1891 and has undergone taxonomic revision, with two former species (A. behlei and A. vogelae) now recognized as synonyms. It is widely distributed but difficult to observe due to its habits.

Aphonopelma marxi by (c) Chris A. Hamilton, Brent E. Hendrixson, Jason E. Bond, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Aphonopelma marxi by (c) Chris A. Hamilton, Brent E. Hendrixson, Jason E. Bond, some rights reserved (CC BY). Used under a CC-BY license.Aphonopelma marxi 2 by B a y L e e ' s 8 Legged Art. Used under a CC BY-SA 2.0 license.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Aphonopelma marxi: //æfəˌnɒpɛlmə ˈmɑːrksaɪ//

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Identification

Dark brown to black overall coloration with dense hair covering the body. bears orange to red hairs. Females are larger than males: female 13.5–15.3 mm, total body length approximately 35 mm including ; male carapace 8.3–10.5 mm. Males possess tibial hooks on the first legs used during mating. Distinguished from sympatric Aphonopelma by leg segment ratios: in males, I length divided by I length exceeds 1.69 (lower in similar species); in females, femur I length divided by metatarsus III length exceeds 1.76 (lower in similar species).

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Habitat

Found in higher elevation areas of the Four Corners region. Occupies mixed conifer forests and sagebrush steppe . Constructs hidden burrows that are extremely difficult to locate; burrow entrances typically covered with a thin curtain of silk during daytime.

Distribution

United States: northern Arizona, northwestern New Mexico, southwestern Colorado, and southeastern Utah. Centered on the Four Corners region.

Behavior

Remains in hidden burrow during the day, sitting at the burrow lip at night to ambush prey. Described as 'very common' in its range despite being rarely seen due to habits.

Human Relevance

has been sequenced at level, providing a reference for mygalomorph spider comparative . Has become a model for studying spider genome evolution and chromosome structure.

Similar Taxa

  • Aphonopelma catalinaMember of same Marxi group; similar dark coloration and high-elevation ; distinguished by morphological and genetic differences
  • Aphonopelma chiricahuaMember of same Marxi group; similar dark coloration and high-elevation ; distinguished by morphological and genetic differences
  • Aphonopelma maderaMember of same Marxi group; similar dark coloration and high-elevation ; distinguished by morphological and genetic differences
  • Aphonopelma peloncilloMember of same Marxi group; similar dark coloration and high-elevation ; distinguished by morphological and genetic differences
  • Aphonopelma vorhiesiMember of same Marxi group; similar dark coloration and high-elevation ; distinguished by morphological and genetic differences

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Sources and further reading