Satyrex ferox Zamani, von Wirth & Stockmann, 2025

Described by Volker von Wirth, Alireza Zamani, Mark Stockmann

Common name: Dhofar black tarantula

♀ Female described ♂ Male described
Female Female © Zamani et al. (2025), fig. 23C, live female. Photo: Mark Stockmann

Type Locality and Records

Type locality

Original Description

Zamani, A., von Wirth, V., Fabiánek, P., Höfling, J., Just, P., Korba, J., Petzold, A., Stockmann, M., Elmi, H. S. A., Vences, M. & Opatova, V. (2025). Size matters: a new genus of tarantula with the longest male palps, and an integrative revision of Monocentropus Pocock, 1897 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Eumenophorinae). ZooKeys 1247: 89-126.

Distribution

YemenOman

Type Locality: YEMEN, Al Mahrah Governorate, Jabal al Fatk, Hawf, NE Al Ghaydah

Adult Male Activity

Collection months of 2 adult male specimen records, against the rainfall where they live

Dry seasonWet seasonDry season229°17°JFMAMJJASOND2032mm0
Adult males collected

All 2 were collected in April 2007, so the bars show when collecting took place, not when males are active.

Mean monthly rainfall and temperature 2001–2020 near where these males were collected, Yemen. MERRA-2 via NASA POWER, for a grid cell averaging 1063 m. Wet and dry seasons, from the rainfall at the locality itself.

Etymology

The specific epithet is a Latin adjective meaning ferocious, referring to the aggressive defence behaviour of this species.

Specimen Records (3)

SMNS-Aran-004389 ♂ Holotype Yemen

Jabal al Fatk, Hawf, NE Al Ghaydah, Al Mahrah

April 2007 · col. P. Kabátek

Holotype male of Satyrex ferox, type species of the genus. Total length 27.0 mm; its palp is 3.85 times the carapace length, the longest known in any tarantula.

SMNS-Aran-004390 ♂ Paratype Yemen

Jabal al Fatk, Hawf, NE Al Ghaydah, Al Mahrah

April 2007 · col. P. Kabátek

Paratype male of Satyrex ferox, collected with the holotype.

SMNS-Aran-004391, 004392 ♀ Paratype Yemen

Jabal al Fatk, Hawf, NE Al Ghaydah, Al Mahrah

April 2007 · col. P. Kabátek

Two paratype females of Satyrex ferox, collected with the holotype. SMNS-Aran-004391 is the described female.

Bibliography (1)

Zamani, A., von Wirth, V., Fabiánek, P., Höfling, J., Just, P., Korba, J., Petzold, A., Stockmann, M., Elmi, H. S. A., Vences, M. & Opatova, V. (2025). Size matters: a new genus of tarantula with the longest male palps, and an integrative revision of Monocentropus Pocock, 1897 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Eumenophorinae). ZooKeys 1247: 89-126.
The World Spider Catalogue