A fossil tarantula (Araneae: Theraphosidae) from Miocene Chiapas amber, Mexico
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چکیده
A fossil tarantula (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) is described from an exuvium in Tertiary (Miocene) Chiapas amber, Simojovel region, Chiapas State, Mexico. It is difficult to assign it further taxonomically, but it is the first mygalomorph recorded from Chiapas amber and only the second unequivocal record of a fossil theraphosid. With a carapace length of ca. 0.9 cm and an estimated leg span of at least 5 cm it also represents the largest spider ever recorded from amber. Of the fifteen currently recognised mygalomorph families, eleven have a fossil record (summarised here), namely: Atypidae, Antrodiaetidae, Mecicobothriidae, Hexathelidae, Dipluridae, Ctenizidae, Nemesiidae, Microstigmatidae, Barychelidae, Cyrtaucheniidae and Theraphosidae.
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