Rogerio Bertani

• Dr.
• Researcher at Instituto Butantan

A new theraphosid species, Vitalius ornatissimus sp. nov., is described based on one male and one female from Brazil. The new species is distributed in the Brazilian states of Tocantins, Goiás, Distrito Federal, and the western state of Bahia, living in areas of the Cerrado biome. It is closely related to and resembles Vitalius chromatus (Schmidt,...

Thalerommata Ausserer, 1875 is a theraphosid genus with very small species that resemble Trichopelma, although they lack the dot pattern on the abdomen. They are also distinguished from all other Theraphosidae by the presence of flattened, iridescent setae covering the abdomen, and sometimes, the legs too. Its current distribution includes the foll...

Theraphosidae is the most speciose mygalomorph family, and its species are usually fossorial, but arboreal species are known in various subfamilies. One of these subfamilies, Aviculariinae, is composed exclusively of arboreal forms and is distributed in the Americas and the Caribbean. Seven genera of this subfamily were described in 2017, including...

A new scorpion species, Microtityus adriki n. sp., is described based on adult specimens collected in Cantá, state of Roraima (RR), northern Brazil. Microtityus adriki n. sp. is the second species of Microtityus Kjellesvig-Waering, 1966 known from Brazil and is one of the smallest scorpion species (12.39-19.47 mm) in the Amazonian region. In this s...

Three new species of recluse spiders are described from Brazilian caves with both males and females. Loxosceles boqueirao Bertani & Gallão sp. nov. is found in the State of Bahia, in the Serra do Ramalho karst area, it belongs to the rufescens species group, and is closely related to L. cardosoi Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, 2018 and L. carinha...

The genus Lasiodora C. L. Koch, 1850 is revised and morphological cladistic analyses carried out including all of its species, as well as most of those of the related genera Vitalius Lucas, Silva & Bertani, 1993, Nhandu Lucas, 1983, Pterinopelma Pocock, 1901, Proshapalopus Mello-Leitão, 1923, Eupalaestrus Pocock, 1901, Lasiocyano Galleti-Lima, Hami...

Brazil is the country with the most diverse tarantula (Theraphosidae) fauna, having 215 described species. Vitalius Lucas, Silva Júnior & Bertani, 1993 is one of the most diverse and common genera in Southern, Southeastern and Central-West regions of Brazil with ten described species. Individuals of Vitalius species are large and widespread in area...

The poorly known mygalomorph genus Thalerommata Ausserer, 1875 is redescribed and rediagnosed. Thalerommata gracilis Ausserer, 1875 (type species) and T. macella (Simon, 1903) are rediagnosed. Thalerommata meridana (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1938) is considered a nomen dubium. Six new species are described: T. squamea n. sp., T. huila n. sp., T. splendens...

The genera Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895, Tapinauchenius Ausserer, 1871 and Pseudoclamoris Hüsser, 2018 are revised and cladistics analyses carried out including most species of these genera. In order to test the monophyly of Aviculariinae and Psalmopoeinae, species of all genera in these two subfamilies were included, as well as of Harpactirinae, Selen...

O Guia Fotográfico da Fauna do Parque Estadual Dunas do Natal “Jornalista Luiz Maria Alves” apresenta animais com registro de ocorrência na referida Unidade de Conservação, e encontra-se dividido em dois grupos: Vertebrados (mamíferos, aves, répteis e anfíbios) e Invertebrados (insetos e aracnídeos). O objetivo desse guia é auxiliar na identificaçã...

Reports of tarantulas feeding on birds are rare and were a matter of intense debate among naturalists for centuries. The first account dates from the early eighteenth century by the German naturalist Marie Sibylla Merian, and since then only a few reliable predation events have been published. We herein report on a predation event by the arboreal t...

Background: Tarantulas are the most common invertebrates pets, especially in North America and Europe. The most commercialized genera are from Southern Asia and tropical Americas, represented by Vitalius, found in Southeastern Brazil, and Brachypelma, common in Mexican desert. Bites by these spiders in humans occurs during manipulation and generall...

After a morphological analysis of several tarantula specimens of the genus Eupalaestrus, including recently collected specimens from previously unrecorded localities, we herein describe two new species. They differ from congeners by the presence of a large area with spiniform setae between the coxae IV. They differ from each other in general size a...

The spider family Sicariidae includes three genera, Hexophthalma, Sicarius and Loxosceles. The three genera share a common characteristic in their venoms: the presence of Sphingomyelinases D (SMase D). SMases D are considered the toxins that cause the main pathological effects of the Loxosceles venom, that is, those responsible for the development...

The new genus Yanomamius n. gen. from Brazilian and Venezuelan Amazon is described, with three new species from Brazil: Y. franciscoi n. sp. (type species), Y. raonii n. sp., and Y. neblina n. sp. The enigmatic Venezuelan species described as Holothele waikoshiemi Bertani & Araújo, 2006 and presently included in Guyruita Guadanucci et al. (2007) is...

Bites and stings by venomous arachnids and insects in Brazil

The Loxosceles genus belongs to the Sicariidae family and it comprises species whose venom can cause accidents with potentially fatal consequences. We have previously shown that SMase D is the enzyme responsible for the main pathological effects of Loxosceles venom. Despite the severity of accidents with Loxosceles, few species are considered to be...

The genera Psalistops Simon, 1889, Trichopelma, Simon, 1888 and Cyrtogrammomma Pocock, 1895 are revised and included in cladistics analyses including almost all species of these genera. In order to test previous morphological hypotheses on the relationships of Barychelidae, Paratropididae and Theraphosidae and because of the controversial taxonomic...

The genus Typhochlaena C.L. Koch, 1850 consists of five small size arboreal tarantula species with remarkable colored abdominal patterns and a very restricted geographic range in Brazil. Here, we describe the male of Typhochlaena curumim Bertani, 2012, which was collected in an area of Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest. The new record extends the north...

Four new species of recluse spiders from Brazilian caves are described with both males and females. Loxoscelesericsoni Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, sp. n. and L.karstica Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, sp. n. both occur in caves in the Peruaçu region, located in the northern area of the state of Minas Gerais; L.karsticasp. n. is additionally...

We report the successful introduction and invasion of the scorpion species, Tityus stigmurus (Thorell, 1876), in São Paulo municipality, Brazil, more than 1,000 km from its southern-most record. The species has considerable impacts on human health, because of its venomous sting. The first specimen appeared in 2012, and by the end of 2015, three pop...

Guyruita Guadanucci et al., 2007 is an ischnocoline genus with three described species from Brazil and Venezuela. Two new Brazilian species from the states of Rio Grande do Norte (Guyruita isae n. sp.) and Espírito Santo (Guyruita giupponii n. sp.) are described. A key is provided for identification of Guyruita species. Map with records and informa...

Two new species of Dolichothele Mello-Leitão, 1923 are described from Brazil and Bolivia, D. mottai sp. n. from Distrito Federal and the state of Goiás, Brazil, and D. camargorum sp. n. from the state of Rondônia, Brazil, and the La Paz region, Bolivia. Males of the two new species resemble Dolichothele bolivianum (Vol, 2001) in having a small suba...

Spiders of the islands on the coast of the state of São Paulo, Brazil are poorly known. Herein, we redescribe and discuss the taxonomic position of Psalistops crassimanus Mello-Leitão, 1923, described from Alcatrazes Island and formerly included in the Barychelidae. This species is, herein, transferred to the genus Stenoterommata Holmberg, 1881, Ne...

Centipedes are part of the diet of several snake species of the genus Bothrops. However, reports on predation of centipedes by snakes are normally incomplete, and important data for natural history studies as the species identification and size of the prey are rarely published. The aim of this work was to report the presence of the centipede Scolop...

The genus Loxosceles Heinecken & Lowe, 1832 has 91 representatives in the New World. Despite medical relevancy, the taxonomy of the genus is poorly understood. South American Loxosceles were divided into four groups of species: laeta, spadicea, gaucho and amazonica; this last one has a single species, Loxoscelesamazonica Gertsch, 1967. More recentl...

The genus Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 is revised and all species are rediagnosed. The type species, described as Araneaavicularia Linnaeus, 1758, is the oldest mygalomorph species described and its taxonomic history is extensive and confusing. Cladistic analyses using both equal and implied weights were carried out with a matrix of 46 taxa from seven...

Tree obtained with Piwe, all characters as non-additive and concavity 3

Tree obtained with Piwe, all characters as non-additive and concavity 2

Tree obtained with Piwe, all characters as non-additive and concavity 1

Tree obtained with Piwe, all characters as non-additive and concavity 4

Tree obtained with Piwe, all characters as non-additive and concavity 5

Among neotropical mygalomorph spider families, Barychelidae is one of the most neglected in taxonomic studies. Most genera have never been revised and only the original descriptions are available. Herein, one of these more obscure genera, Cosmopelma Simon, 1892, with two described species in Brazil and Venezuela, is revised. The type species C. dec...

We describe a new species of tarantula from the highlands of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Males of the new species can be distinguished from congeners by having palpal bulb keels weakly developed, and metatarsus I strongly curved, touching apex of retrolateral spur when folded. Females can be distinguished by the color pattern, carapace and l...

We present the first record for the genus Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895, in Brazil. A female of Psalmopoeus irminia Saager, 1994, was collected in Pacaraíma, state of Roraima, Brazil. This country now has records of all New World tarantula genera of the subfamily Aviculariinae.