Heterothele maxima Gallon & Sherwood, 2026

Described by Richard C Gallon, Danniella Sherwood

♂ Male described

Type Locality and Records

Type locality

Original Description

Gallon, R. C. & Sherwood, D. (2026). Taxonomic notes on the tarantula genus Heterothele Karsch, 1879 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) with a new synonymy, resurrection of H. longipalpis Karsch, 1879, two nomina dubia, and description of a new species from Tanzania. Arachnology 20 (4): 623-639.

Distribution

Tanzania

Type Locality: TANZANIA: Kasoge, Mahali Peninsula

Adult Male Activity

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

Wet seasonDry seasonWet season1126°22°JFMAMJJASOND10216mm0
Adult males collected

Mean monthly rainfall and temperature 2001–2020 near where these males were collected, Tanzania. MERRA-2 via NASA POWER, for a grid cell averaging 1177 m. Wet and dry seasons, from the rainfall at the locality itself.

Etymology

The specific epithet refers to the size of the species, far in excess of all known congeners.

Specimen Records (2)

OUMNH 441 ♂ Holotype Tanzania

Kasoge, Mahali Peninsula, Kigoma

August 1959 · col. Rajabu

Holotype male of Heterothele maxima. The right anterior lateral eye is teratologically duplicated.

OUMNH 1971-008; BMNH 1939.4.17.4 ♂ Paratype Tanzania

Kasoge, Mahali Peninsula; Tanganyika

July 1938 · col. B. E.; R. S. A. Beachamp

Paratype males of Heterothele maxima, collected July 1938 and 20 September 1959

Taxonomic History

  1. 2026
    Heterothele maxima Gallon & Sherwood, 2026
  2. Described from three males that had been in the Oxford and London museums since 1938 and 1959.

Bibliography (1)

Gallon, R. C. & Sherwood, D. (2026). Taxonomic notes on the tarantula genus Heterothele Karsch, 1879 (Araneae: Theraphosidae) with a new synonymy, resurrection of H. longipalpis Karsch, 1879, two nomina dubia, and description of a new species from Tanzania. Arachnology 20 (4): 623-639.
The World Spider Catalogue