Neoheterophrictus madraspatanus is a species of spider in the family Theraphosidae, found in India.

Description

Males vary in body length, ranging from 7 to 20 mm; the largest females are about 19 mm long. Both sexes are brownish in colour, lighter in smaller individuals and darker in larger ones. Males have special structures on the distal end of the tibia of their first legs, including on the ventral side a large curved projection (apophysis) whose apex is divided into three.

Neoheterophrictus madraspatanus

Taxonomy

First described by Frederic Henry Gravely in 1935 in the genus Plesiophrictus, the species was transferred to the genus Neoheterophrictus by Rajesh V. Sanap and Zeeshan A. Mirza in 2013, based on the structure of the male tibial spur.

Neoheterophrictus madraspatanus

Distribution

The original specimens were found in the city of Madras, India, and surrounding areas.

Neoheterophrictus madraspatanus

References

Theraphosidae

Endemic fauna of India

Spiders of the Indian subcontinent

Spiders described in 1935