Amazon Alive: A Decade of Discoveries 1999-2009 - WWF

Invertebrates
503
new invertebrate species
Ants from Mars, and purple tarantulas...
In Brazil alone, which encompasses 60% of the Amazon region, between
96,660 and 128,840 species of invertebrates have been described by
scientists to date 69 . Dominating the Amazon, insects make up over 90% of the
animal species found here. About 50,000 species of insects can be found in
any 2.5 sq km of the forest. Many thousands of new invertebrates have been
discovered in this region since the beginning of the new millennium. These
have not been included in the appendix, but a selection of the new finds is
presented here.
At least 503 new spiders have been discovered in the last 10 years across the
Amazon, spanning a diverse number of arachnid families 70 .
The genus Pamphobeteus comprises some of the largest spiders in the world.
Two new species in the genus were recently discovered in the Brazilian
Amazon: Pamphobeteus crassifemur, a striking black species from the states
of Rondônia and western Mato Grosso; and Pamphobeteus grandis, from
Amazonas and western Acre 71 . The latter is particular interesting as this
tarantula has a striking purple colouration. Found deep in the Amazon forest,
the name of this species means ‘huge’ – the spider’s body measures over 6cm
long.
9a.
9c.
© Rogerio Bertani
9b.
© Karl Csaba
Further new tarantula species include Cyriocosmus nogueiranetoi from Rio
Branco, Acre 72 . This reddish-brown species, officially described in 2005, has
an unusual pattern on its back: five pairs of clear ‘tiger-stripes’. Species in the
Avicularia genus, or pinktoes, have very distinguishable pink feet pads. The
bluegreen pinktoe (Avicularia geroldi), so named because it is blue with a
metallic sheen, was found in the Amazon regions of Venezuela and Brazil 73,74 .
According to experts, this spider is quick, but not aggressive. A key
characteristic of species in the Avicularia genus is their preference for jumping
and fleeing as quickly as possible when threatened. Occasionally, though, they
will launch a jet of excrement at the perceived threat, which can accurately hit
a target up to a metre away.
© Rogerio Bertani
9a. Pamphobeteus crassifemur (female)
9b. Avicularia braunshauseni
9c. Cyriocosmus nogueiranetoi (female)
(male)
30 amazon alive! I a decade of discovery 1999-2009