Phlogiellus

Phlogiellus is a genus of small “dwarf” tarantulas from Asia and the western Pacific, first described in the late 1800s by British arachnologist Reginald Innes Pocock. The name combines Greek and Latin roots and roughly means “little flame,” a nod to their subtle coloration and diminutive size.

Originally, Phlogiellus species were scattered across several genera and not well understood. Over time, more of these tiny burrowing tarantulas were discovered in places like Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Malaysia, Borneo, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.

A major modern milestone came in 2016, when Nunn, West and von Wirth published a full revision of the genus, clarifying its diagnostic features and formally describing several new species. Subsequent work by other arachnologists has continued to refine the group, adding new “dwarf tarantula” species from Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam, and highlighting ongoing taxonomic puzzles within the genus.

Today, Phlogiellus is recognized as a diverse lineage of small, secretive tarantulas with around 30 described species and more still being discovered—making it one of the most dynamic and actively studied Asian tarantula genera.

Phlogiellus moniqueverdezae