On the species of Pamphobeteus Pocock, 1901 deposited in the Natural History Museum, London, with redescriptions of type material, the first record of P. grandis Bertani, Fukushima & Silva, 2008 from Peru, and the description of four new species (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

Pamphobeteus Pocock, 1901: redescriptions, new species and records, description of a missing sex, with taxonomic notes and changes in Megaphobema Pocock, 1901 (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

“…Remarks : As discussed in Sherwood et al (2022), males can be split into two groups based on palpal bulb morphology, but we remain unsure if they represent different groups at the genus level, as the male tibial apophysis and morphology of females is homogenous. This must be investigated with molecular data.…”

“… Pamphobeteus lapola Sherwood, Gabriel, Brescovit & Lucas, 2022, non-type male (SMF 66804-84), palpal bulb (left hand side). 46 prolateral view; 47 retrolateral view; 48 dorsal view; 49 ventral view; 50 close-up of embolus in prolateral view; 51 close-up of embolus in retrolateral view.…”

“…The genus Pamphobeteus Pocock, 1901 currently contains 18 species (Sherwood et al 2022; World Spider Catalog 2023), of which seven occur in Ecuador: P. augusti (Simon, 1889), P. nellieblyae Sherwood, Gabriel, Brescovit & Lucas, 2022, P. petersi Schmidt, 2002, P. ultramarinus Schmidt, 1995, P. urvinae Sherwood, Gabriel, Brescovit & Lucas, 2022, P. vespertinus (Simon, 1889), and P. zaruma Sherwood, Gabriel, Brescovit & Lucas, 2022. Of these, Pamphobeteus nellieblyae , P. petersi , and P. ultramarinus are known from both sexes, P. augusti and P. vespertinus are known from the male only, and P. urvinae and P. zaruma are known only from the female.…”

“…AbstractThe type material of Pamphobeteus ultramarinus Schmidt, 1995 and P. vespertinus (Simon, 1889) are redescribed. The male of P. lapola Sherwood, Gabriel, Brescovit & Lucas, 2022 is described for the first time. Six new species are described: P. amazonas Sherwood, Gabriel, Peñaherrera-R., Cisneros-Heredia., León-E., Brescovit & Lucas sp.…”

“…New interpretations of tibial apophysis morphology are presented, alongside a comparison of the palpal bulb morphology of all known male congeners. New distribution and/or museum records are made for P. antinous Pocock, 1903, P. crassifemur Bertani, Fukushima & Silva, 2008, P. lapola , and P. urvinae Sherwood, Gabriel, Brescovit & Lucas, 2022. Pamphobeteus petersi Schmidt, 2002 is illustrated and transferred to the genus Megaphobema Ausserer, 1875, based on palpal bulb morphology, and proposed as a junior synonym of Megaphobema velvetosoma Schmidt, 1995 syn.…”