Thiratoscirtus obudu

Thiratoscirtus obudu is a medium-sized spider with unique physical features. The spider's body is divided into two main parts: the cephalothorax, which is a broad oval, and the abdomen, which is more elongated and rounded.^[11] Males of this species have a cephalothorax measuring between 2.7 and 2.8 mm (0.11 and 0.11 in) in length and 1.8 to 2 mm (0.07 to 0.08 in) in width. The carapace, the hard upper part of the cephalothorax, is high. It is generally brown and covered in thin short colorless hairs. There is a pronounced depression in the centre of the carapace, or fovea, that is covered in whitish hairs. The spider's eye field is short and black with a metallic sheen with a scattering of long bristles near the eyes themselves. The sternum, the underside of the cephalothorax, is a lighter brown.^[10]

The spider's face, known as the clypeus, is low and dark. The mouthparts include very robust chelicerae, with a short fang and a single tooth at the front and another at the back. The labium is dark brown and the maxillae have a triangle-shaped lobe at their ends. Its abdomen is between 2.2 and 2.4 mm (0.09 and 0.09 in) in length and 1.6 and 1.8 mm (0.06 and 0.07 in) in width. The upper part is brownish-grey with a covering of delicate hairs. There is a light band visible stretching across the front, along with long white bristles on the front edge itself. The lower part is grey. The spider's spinnerets are yellowish-grey. Its legs are brown, with brown hairs and spines, the front four legs being darker than the rest.^[10]

The spider has distinctive copulatory organs. The male has a small pedipalp with a single slightly bent spike on the palpal tibia, or tibial apophysis. The palpal bulb is round with an even smaller embolus. The cymbium is relatively large.^[12] The pedipalp is particularly similar to the related Thiratoscirtus mirabilis but the smaller tibial apophysis is a clear difference. The presence of a prolateral protuberance at the base of the embolus is also a distinguishing feature of the species.^[10] The female has not been described.^[1]

Thiratoscirtus spiders generally live in Africa and are particularly common in the forests of Central and West Africa.^[2] Thiratoscirtus obudu is endemic to Nigeria.^[1] The holotype was found on Obudu Plateau, Cross River State, in 1974 at an altitude of 1,900 m (6,200 ft) above sea level.^[10]