Phoneyusa | |
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Phoneyusa lesserti from Gabon at the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Milano | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
Family: | Theraphosidae |
Genus: |
Phoneyusa Karsch, 1884 [1] |
Phoneyusa is a genus of spiders belonging to the family Theraphosidae (tarantulas). [1]
The genus was erected by Ferdinand Karsch in 1884, based on a spider from central Africa he regarded as in some ways similar to the South American genera Avicularia and Eurypelma (now included in Avicularia), but nevertheless distinct. [2] Karsch explained the name as meaning "murderess". [3] (Phoneyusa is one transcription of the Greek φονεύουσα, derived from the verb φονεύω, 'murder'.)
The species of this genus are found in sub-Saharan Africa. [1]
As of May 2016 [update], the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species: [1]