Melopoeus hainanus (Liang et al., 1999)

Described by Liang Songping, Peng Xianjin, Huang Renhuai, Chen Ping

Common name: Chinese Giant Black Earth Tiger

♀ Female described ♂ Male described

Female

Female

Type Locality and Records

Type locality

Original Description

Songping, L., Xianjin, P., Renhuai, H. & Ping, C. (1999). Biochemical identification of Selenocosmia hainana sp. nov. from south China (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Life Sci. Res. 3: 299-303.

Distribution

China

Synonyms

Selenocosmia hainana, Ornithoctonus hainana

Taxonomic History

1999
Selenocosmia hainana Liang et al., 1999
Returned to Melopoeus Pocock, 1895, which Smith, Daniel & Vignaud (2026) restore. With the type species of Cyriopagopus deemed a nomen dubium, the species it had absorbed had to go somewhere; the authors, following von Wirth's examination of the relevant types, reject Raven's (1985) view that Melopoeus is a synonym of Haplopelma and place these seven in Melopoeus rather than Haplopelma.

Bibliography (2)

Songping, L., Xianjin, P., Renhuai, H. & Ping, C. (1999). Biochemical identification of Selenocosmia hainana sp. nov. from south China (Araneae, Theraphosidae). Life Sci. Res. 3: 299-303.

Smith, A., Daniel, B. & Vignaud, B. (2026). 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.