This tarantula was first described by Mendoza and Francke in 2018, and is named in honour of Bill Steele, because of his contributions of knowledge in Mexican caves.

[1][2] This tarantula is purely black in colour, with some grey tones.

It can be distinguished from the Hemirrhagus perezmiles as the shape of male palpal bulb is different.

This tarantula can be found 100 m (330 ft) below the Cueva La Grieta entrance.

Further inside the same cave Hemirrhagus grieta is found, but at a much deeper level, from about 200–800 m (660–2,620 ft) in, but the grieta tarantula is thinner and more slender, and a different colour.