Theraphosoidina | |
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Brachypelma klaasi, a member of the Theraphosidae | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
Clade: | Crassitarsae |
Clade: |
Theraphosoidina Raven, 1985 (as a "micropicoorder") |
Families | |
Theraphosoidina is a clade of avicularioid mygalomorph spiders first proposed by Robert J. Raven in 1985, based on a morphological cladistic analysis. Raven included three families: Theraphosidae, Paratropididae and Barychelidae. [1] Subsequent molecular phylogenetic studies upheld the relationship between the Theraphosidae and Barychelidae, but found that Paratropidae fell outside the clade. [2] [3] [4] [5]
Theraphosoidina was first proposed as a taxon by Robert J. Raven in 1985, based on a morphological cladistic analysis. Raven included three families: Theraphosidae, Paratropididae and Barychelidae. The group was characterized by the similar conformation of the male tibial spur (used in mating), reduced toothing of the paired claws and many labial cuspules. [1]
Subsequent molecular phylogenetic studies upheld the relationship between the Theraphosidae and Barychelidae, but found that Paratropidae fell outside the clade. [2] [3] In 2012, it was suggested that Theraphosoidina should probably include an additional family of spiders related to Homostola. [4] A major 2020 study of the Mygalomorphae established the new family Bemmeridae (raised from the rank of tribe) containing the two genera Homostola and Spiroctenus and included it within Theraphosoidina. [5]
An outline version of the preferred cladogram from a 2020 phylogenetic study of the Mygalomorphae is shown below. (A node with lower support is marked ♦.) Although the precise position of the Theraphosoidina clade varied in some of the individual analyses, the clade itself was well supported. [5]
Avicularioidea |
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According to Opatova et al. (2020), the clade includes the following families, one of which (Bemmeridae) was first described at this rank in their study: [5]