Nhandu tripepii is a senior synonym of Nhandu vulpinus ( Araneae : Theraphosidae )

The holotype of Eurypelma tripepii Dresco, 1984 from state of Pará, Brazil, is revised and illustrated. Its palpal bulb and tibial apophysis are similar in shape to species of Nhandu Lucas, 1983. Therefore, the species is transferred to the genus Nhandu, establishing the new combination Nhandu tripepii (Dresco, 1984) comb. nov., which is considered a senior synonym of Nhandu vulpinus (Schmidt, 1998) syn. nov. The protuberances present on the holotype’s chelicerae are here considered a morphological anomaly.

described Eurypelma tripepii Dresco, 1984 based on a male from the state of Pará, Brazil.He used the key of SIMON (1892) to classify his new species, and even though the species did not fit into Eurypelma C.L. Koch, 1850, the author included it into that genus because he did not consider the relative difference in article length of E. tripepii (patella + tibia IV < patella + tibia I) a sufficient reason to create a new genus.DRESCO (1984) recognized E. tripepii as a new species due to the shapes of the male palpal bulb and the tibial apophysis (characteristics called "priorities" by the author) that were clearly distinct from the other species of Eurypelma he could examine.Eurypelma tripepii was characterized mainly by the presence of a male palpal bulb with a triangular shape in its terminal portion and by the presence of one dorso-apical protuberance on each chelicera (DRESCO 1984).
Eurypelma is one of the oldest and largest theraphosid genera, formerly including 33 species (KOCH 1850).It was originally poorly characterized, which led to the inclusion of several species that did not fit in other known genera.Finally, RAVEN (1985) synonymized Eurypelma Koch, 1850 with Avicularia Lamarck, 1818.However, in the same publication the author transferred E. tripepii to Hapalopus Ausserer, 1875, making the new combination H. tripepii.The transfer was not based on the holotype examination, but on the illustrations and described features of male palpal bulb and tibial apophysis of the original description (RAVEN 1985).
Herein the holotype of Hapalopus tripepii was examined and its taxonomic position is reinterpreted.
A Wild M8 dissecting microscope from the MNHN was used for illustration, with a camera lucida attachment.

Nhandu tripepii is a senior synonym of
After comparing N. tripepii with the other described species of Nhandu, it was noted a high morphological similarity with Nhandu vulpinus (Schmidt, 1998).Both bulbs have the same general shape and position of keels and the metatarsus I folds on the external side of the retrolateral male tibial apophyses branch (BERTANI 2001).Additionally, their typical color patterns match and N. vulpinus is known to occur in a restricted area in northeastern state of Pará and northwestern state of Maranhão in Brazil (BERTANI 2001) which is compatible with the type locality of N. tripepii.Thus, Nhandu vulpinus (Schmidt, 1998) is considered a junior synonym of N. tripepii (Dresco, 1984) syn.nov.DRESCO (1984) reported that the holotype presents protuberances on dorso-apical chelicerae and illustrated these structures as being symmetrical.However, the new holotype analysis showed that the protuberance of left chelicera is positioned more dorso-laterally, whereas the right chelicera is positioned dorso-centrally, showing that these structures are asymmetric (Fig. 4).Probably, these protuberances are cheliceral teeth, abnormally positioned due to a failure in the moulting process.