Gradungulidae, also known as large-clawed spiders, is a spider family endemic to Australia and New Zealand. They are medium to large-sized haplogyne spiders with three claws and two pairs of book-lungs similar to Mygalomorphae. Some species build extensive webs with an upper retreat tangle and connecting threads to scaffolding. This supports the ladder-like catching platform that is glued to the ground. Progradungula, a large spider with long legs like Hickmania,[1] and Macrogradungula are the only cribellate genera of the family.

Large-clawed spiders
Gradungula sorenseni, male
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Gradungulidae
Forster, 1955
Diversity
7 genera, 16 species

Species

edit

Gradungula Forster, 1955

Kaiya Gray, 1987

Macrogradungula Gray, 1987

Pianoa Forster, 1987

Progradungula Forster & Gray, 1979

Spelungula Forster, 1987

Tarlina Gray, 1987

References

edit
  1. ^ Forster, R. R.; Gray, M. R. (1979). "Progradungula, a new cribellate genus of the spider family Gradungulidae (Araneae)". Australian Journal of Zoology. 27 (6): 1051–1071. doi:10.1071/ZO9791051.
  • Forster, R. R., Platnick, N. I. and Gray, M. R. (1987): A review of the spider superfamilies Hypochiloidea and Austrochiloidea (Araneae, Araneomorphae). Bulletin of the AMNH 185(1): 1-116 Abstract - PDF (50Mb)
edit