Sparassidae Heteropoda

Heteropoda sp. "Broad-banded Pale"

Broad-banded Pale Huntsman

This species is either a close relative of H. christae or a H. christae colour morph (variant). The uncertainty arises because it is known only from photographs. No specimens have been available to verify its identity through an examination of its genitalia.

The female is similar to that of H. christae in several aspects: bicoloured chelicerae, long curly hairs over the body and legs, isolated long, white, and erect hairs on the abdomen, and a tuft of longer, stiff white bristles at the rear end. The juvenile abdomen and some suspected males have a white triangular posterior patch. as in some mature females of H. christae. The female differs from that of H. christae only in subtle and superficial ways: its slightly paler colouration, a slightly shorter or more rotund abdomen, a marginally thicker dark median stripe on the carapace, and the length of the mid-dorsal stripe which stops short at the mid-point of the dorsum (as opposed to a full-length or absent abdominal stripe in different morphs of H. christae). Seen in the context of the known intraspecific variability of H. christae. such minor though noticeable differences may or may not be differences within the same species without examining their respective genitalia. It is therefore prudent to treat this series of specimens provisionally as a separate species, to be reviewed when specimens are available, and their genitalia can be examined.