Wafer trapdoor spider

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Wafer trapdoor spiders
Aptostichus sp.
Aptostichus sp.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Mygalomorphae
Infraorder: Fornicephalae
Superfamily: Cyrtauchenioidea
Family: Cyrtaucheniidae
Simon, 1892
Diversity
18 genera, 126 species

Genera

Aptostichus
Myrmekiaphila
Promyrmekiaphila
others, see text

The wafer trapdoor spiders (superfamily Cyrtauchenioidea, family Cyrtaucheniidae) are a widespread family of spiders that lack the thorn-like spines on tarsi and metatarsi I and II (the two outermost leg segments) found in true trapdoor spiders (Ctenizidae).

Contents

[edit] Biology

Many, but not all, make wafer-like doors to their burrows, while others build the cork-like doors found commonly in the true trapdoor spiders. The biology of nearly all the species is poorly known.

The monotypic Angka hexops has only six eyes, with the posterior median eyes missing. It is up to 15 mm long in both sexes.[1]

[edit] Distribution

The family is well represented in the United States, Mexico, South America, and Africa. Common U.S. genera include Myrmekiaphila, Aptosticus and Promyrmekiaphila. A currently undescribed genus in the western United States may hold an altitude record for the family, being found up to over 11,000 feet (3,300 meters). The genus Anemesia is found only in Central Asia, and Cyrtauchenius reaches from Algeria north to Italy, with one species found in the USA. Angka is endemic to the cloud forest of Doi Inthanon, Thailand.

[edit] Genera

The categorization into subfamilies follows Joel Hallan.[1]

Promyrmekiaphila burrow entrance closed, ...
Promyrmekiaphila burrow entrance closed, ...
...and opened.
...and opened.
  • Aporoptychinae Simon, 1889
  • Acontius Karsch, 1879Africa
  • Ancylotrypa Simon, 1889 — Africa
  • Bolostromoides Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1945Venezuela
  • Bolostromus Ausserer, 1875Central and South America
  • Fufius Simon, 1888 — Central and South America
  • Kiama Main & Mascord, 1969New South Wales
  • Rhytidicolus Simon, 1889 — Venezuela
  • Cyrtaucheniinae Simon, 1892
  • Euctenizinae Raven, 1985
  • Apomastus Bond & Opell, 2002 — USA
  • Aptostichus Simon, 1891 — USA
  • Entychides Simon, 1888 — USA, Mexico
  • Eucteniza Ausserer, 1875 — USA, Mexico
  • Homostola Simon, 1892South Africa
  • Myrmekiaphila Atkinson, 1886 — USA
  • Neoapachella Bond & Opell, 2002 — USA
  • Promyrmekiaphila Schenkel, 1950 — USA

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Murphy & Murphy 2000

[edit] References

  • Murphy, Frances & Murphy, John (2000): An Introduction to the Spiders of South East Asia. Malaysian Nature Society, Kuala Lumpur.
  • Platnick, Norman I. (2008): The world spider catalog, version 8.5. American Museum of Natural History.

[edit] External links

Wikispecies has information related to:
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
  • Platnick, Norman I. (2008): The world spider catalog, version 8.5. American Museum of Natural History: Cyrtaucheniidae
Languages