Poecilotheria rajaei Nanayakkara, Kirk, Dayananda, Ganehiarachchi, Vishvanath & Kusuminda, 2012

Described by Ranil P. Nanayakkara, Peter J. Kirk, G.A.S.M Ganehiarachchi, Salindra K. Dayananda, Nilantha Vishvanath, T.G. Tharaka Kusuminda

♀ Female described ♂ Male described

Female

Type Locality and Records

Type locality

Original Description

Nanayakkara, R. P., Kirk, P. J., Dayananda, S. K., Ganehiarachchi, G., Vishvanath, N. & Kusuminda, T. T. (2012). A new species of tiger spider, genus Poecilotheria, from northern Sri Lanka. Journal of the British Tarantula Society 28(1): 6-15.

Distribution

Sri Lanka

Type Locality: 9.123869, 80.447642

Adult Male Activity

Collection months of 1 adult male specimen record, against the rainfall where they live

Adult males collected

Mean monthly rainfall and temperature 2001–2020 near the type locality, 9.123869, 80.447642. MERRA-2 via NASA POWER, for a grid cell averaging 87 m. Wet and dry seasons, from the rainfall at the locality itself.

Etymology

The spider is named after sub inspector of police SI Michael Rajakumar Purajah.

Specimen Records (3)

? ♀ Type Sri Lanka

Mankulam, Northern Sri Lanka

September 2009 · col. M.R Purajah and Ranil P. Nanayakkara

? ♂ Type Sri Lanka

Mankulam, Northern Sri Lanka

October 2009 · col. M.R Purajah and Ranil P. Nanayakkara

? ♀ Sri Lanka

Mankulam Hospital, Northern Sri Lanka