Trichopelma zebra is a species of ischnocoline tarantula that is known from Panama.
Taxonomy Trichopelma zebra was first described by Alexander Petrunkevitch in 1925, under the name of Merothele zebra, a new genus he erected for the species, and which he placed in the family Barychelidae. In 1985, Robert Raven made Mesothele a junior synonym of Trichopelma, saying that "it does not differ in any character of generic significance".Trichopelma Thorell, 1896. World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum of Bern. Retrieved April 4, 2016 In 2015, the genus was placed by José Guadanucci in a much reduced subfamily of the Theraphosidae, Ischnocolinae sensu stricto.
Description T. zebra has dusky-brown femurs, spinnerets, chelicerae, and cephalothorax. All other leg segments are chestnut-brown. The abdomen is purplish-brown, with five grey stripes running backward and five median grey spots. It is 17 mm (including chelicerae).
The maxillae and labium are spinulose. It lacks a rastellum on the chelicerae. All tarsal scopulae are bisected longitudinally.
References