Urupelma

Urupelma Kaderka, 2017 is a small, recently erected genus of high-altitude terrestrial theraphosids in the subfamily Theraphosinae, known from the Andean altiplano of southern Peru and immediately adjacent Bolivia. The type species, Urupelma peruviana, was described from puna grassland above roughly 12,000 ft and represents one of the highest-elevation theraphosids formally documented in the literature. Only a small number of species are currently recognized, and the genus is almost certainly under-described — the Peruvian-Bolivian altiplano remains one of the least-surveyed theraphosid faunas on the continent, and additional Urupelma or close relatives are likely to emerge as systematic work in the region continues.

Members of the genus are obligate terrestrials of cold, dry, open habitat — bunchgrass puna, rocky hillside, and the margins of highland wetlands. They excavate shallow silk-lined burrows under rocks and tufts, with juveniles often occupying pre-existing crevices rather than digging new retreats. The ecological profile is atypical for Theraphosinae: native conditions include substantial diurnal temperature swings, cool annual averages, a pronounced dry season, and intense ultraviolet exposure at elevation. Captive animals accordingly do poorly under the warm, humid protocols applied to lowland tropical Theraphosinae and are best kept under a cool, seasonally variable regime with emphatic ventilation.

Morphologically, Urupelma are small — the "dwarf" end of the Theraphosinae size range — with adult females typically reaching roughly 2.5–3.5 in diagonal leg span. Coloration is muted: warm browns, rust, and charcoal dominate, with fine setal banding on the legs and a subtle metallic sheen on the carapace under strong light. Like all Theraphosinae, the genus bears type I urticating setae on the opisthosoma and uses them as the primary defense; venom is mild and documented envenomations have produced only transient localized effects. Temperament is generally calm, consistent with other high-altitude Andean Theraphosinae of small stature.

No Urupelma species is currently listed on CITES or has a published IUCN Red List assessment, but the altiplano range of the genus is undergoing increasing pressure from mining, grazing intensification, and climatic shifts that are altering the thermal and hydric envelope of puna habitats. In captivity, the genus expects modest substrate depth (3–5 in), a small cork or rock retreat, cool-temperate temperatures (high 60s to mid 70s °F, with clear night drops), a dry-tending substrate with localized humidity from a water dish, and strong ventilation. Urupelma is a niche genus in the hobby — small, retiring, and atypical in husbandry — but a scientifically interesting one, representing a lineage that has pushed further into cold, open, high-elevation habitat than most theraphosid clades.