Secrets of a didactic collection: a new tarantula genus from the Montane Forest of north-western Ecuador (Araneae: Theraphosidae)

A new monotypic genus of the subfamily Theraphosinae Thorell, 1869 is described from the Western Cordillera of the Andes in northern Ecuador. The new genus is diagnosed by its distinctive male palpal morphology, including a semi-spatulate bulb caused by a well developed retrolateral inferior keel, presence of a cymbial apophysis, absence of a tibial apophysis, and a new character described in this contribution as a retrolateral tegular process. We comment on the similarities in male palpal bulb morphology with other neotropical genera and provide a preliminary phylogenic placement based on morphology.