Aphonopelma xwalxwal Hamilton, 2016
Male Type Locality and Records
Original Description
Distribution
Type Locality: Hwy S22 (Montezuma Valley Rd), 3.3 miles S junction with Palm Canyon Dr. (Borrego Springs), Anza-Borrego State Park, San Diego Co., California
Adult Male Activity
Collection months of 14 adult male specimen records, against the rainfall where they live
Of 14 adult males, 9 of 14 (64%) fall in the six wettest months, and 13 of 14 (93%) in the six warmest. Collections peak in October. The warmer half of the year is much the closer fit here.
Mean monthly rainfall and temperature 2001–2020 near the type locality. MERRA-2 via NASA POWER, for a grid cell averaging 1687 m. Northern hemisphere seasons.
Etymology
The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, referencing the word for “a type of small spider” in the language of the Cahuilla Native Americans, whose traditional territory includes the distribution of this species.
Pronunciation
Pronounced “hwalhwal”; xw - sounds like a light raspy sound when blowing out a candle; a - sounds like “a” in father; l - sounds like “l” in light.