Nomenclatural notes on the Ornithoctoninae genera Cyriopagopus Simon 1887, Haplopelma Simon 1892 and Melopoeus Pocock 1895 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) with the intention of restoring the genera Haplopelma and Melopoeus
Journal of the British Tarantula Society 40(3): 15-28.
Abstract
The type of Cyriopagopus paganus Simon 1887, examined at the Zoological Survey of India in 2001, cannot now be found and is deemed lost; a ZSI report for 1942-1945 states that all arachnological type material was destroyed in September 1943 when the Varuna river flooded the Kaiser Building. The genus Cyriopagopus Simon 1887, with its single species C. paganus, is therefore deemed nomen dubium. Following von Wirth's examination of the relevant type material, the authors conclude that Raven (1985) and Smith & Jacobi (2015) were incorrect and that Melopoeus Pocock 1895 is not synonymous with Haplopelma Simon 1892. Haplopelma Simon 1892 gen. rest. is restored with two species, H. doriae (Thorell 1890) and H. robustus (Strand 1907), the latter a nomen dubium that nonetheless retains species status. The remaining seven species - albostriatus, hainanus, lividus, longipes, minax, schmidti and vonwirthi - are transferred to the restored genus Melopoeus Pocock 1895 gen. rest.