The genus Brachypelma was erected in 1891 by the French arachnologist Eugène Simon (April 30, 1848 - November 17, 1924) to house the species Brachypelma emilia (untill this time the spider was described as Mygale emilia.) From there on there was a lot of confusion on wether or not the genus was valid. Pocock expanded the genus Brachypelma in 1903 with 4 species that he transferred from the genus Eurypelma: B. albiceps, B. pallidum, B. smithi and B. vagans. At present the genus Brachypelma includes 21 species from Mexico and Central America.
Eugène Simon
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Gen. Brachypelma Simon, 1891
albiceps Pocock, 1903....................Mexico
albopilosum Valerio, 1980....................Costa Rica
andrewi Schmidt, 1992....................Unknown
angustum Valerio, 1980....................Costa Rica
annitha Tesmoingt, Cleton & Verdez, 1997....................Mexico
auratum Schmidt, 1992....................Mexico
aureoceps (Chamberlin, 1917)....................USA
baumgarteni Smith, 1993....................Mexico
boehmei Schmidt & Klaas, 1993....................Mexico
embrithes (Chamberlin & Ivie, 1936)....................Panama
emilia (White, 1856) *....................Mexico
epicureanum (Chamberlin, 1925)....................Mexico
fossorium Valerio, 1980....................Costa Rica
hamorii Tesmoingt, Cleton & Verdez, 1997....................Mexico
kahlenbergi Rudloff, 2008....................Mexico
klaasi (Schmidt & Krause, 1994)....................Mexico
sabulosum (F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1897)....................Guatemala
schroederi Rudloff, 2003....................Mexico
smithi (F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1897)....................Mexico
vagans (Ausserer, 1875)....................Mexico, Central America
verdezi Schmidt, 2003....................Mexico
