''Amaurobiidae'' is a family of three-clawed

cribellate Cribellum literally means "little sieve", and in biology the term generally applies to anatomical structures in the form of tiny perforated plates. In certain groups of diatoms it refers to microscopically punctured regions of the frustule, or o ...

or ecribellate spiders found in crevices and hollows or under stones where they build retreats, and are often collected in

pitfall trap A pitfall trap is a trapping pit for small animals, such as insects, amphibians and reptiles. Pitfall traps are a sampling technique, mainly used for ecology studies and ecologic pest control. Animals that enter a pitfall trap are unable to esca ...

s. Unlidded burrows are sometimes quite obvious in crusty, loamy soil. They are difficult to distinguish from related spiders in other families, especially Agelenidae,

Desidae Desidae is a family of spiders, some of which are known as intertidal spiders. The family is named for the genus '' Desis'', members of which live in a very unusual location — between the tides. The family has been reevaluated in recent years an ...

and

Amphinectidae Desidae is a family of spiders, some of which are known as intertidal spiders. The family is named for the genus '' Desis'', members of which live in a very unusual location — between the tides. The family has been reevaluated in recent years an ...

. Their intra- and interfamilial relationships are contentious. According to the World Spider Catalog, 2019, the family Amaurobiidae includes about 275 species in 49 genera. In Australia, they are small to medium-sized entelegyne spiders with minimal sheet webs. They are fairly common in Tasmania and nearby mainland Australia in cooler rainforest, some in caves. They are widespread but uncommon along the eastern coastline. They generally have eight similar eyes in two conservatively curved rows. They often have a

calamistrum In spiders, the calamistrum is a row of specialized leg bristles used to comb out fine bands of silk. It is only found on cribellate spiders, that is, spiders that possess the spinning organ known as the cribellum. The calamistrum and cribellum ar ...

on metatarsus IV associated with a

cribellum Cribellum literally means "little sieve", and in biology the term generally applies to anatomical structures in the form of tiny perforated plates. In certain groups of diatoms it refers to microscopically punctured regions of the frustule, or o ...

. Australian amaurobiids may be distinguished from the

by the absence of a pretarsal fracture and the presence of a retrocoxal hymen on coxa I.

Reorganization

This family has lost and gained several genera resulting from wide-ranging DNA analysis of spider families. It lost '' Bakala'' and ''

Manjala ''Manjala'' is a genus of Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area o ...

'' to

, while

Toxopidae Toxopidae is a small family of araneomorph spiders, first described in 1940. For many years it was sunk into Desidae as a subfamily, although doubts were expressed as to whether this was correct. A large-scale molecular phylogenetic study in 201 ...

took in '' Midgee'' and the monotypic genus ''

Jamara ''Jamara'' is a genus of Australian araneomorph spiders in the family Toxopidae Toxopidae is a small family of araneomorph spiders, first described in 1940. For many years it was sunk into Desidae as a subfamily, although doubts were expresse ...

''. In return, it gained some of Australia's medium-sized brown spiders in the former family Amphinectidae, including '' Tasmabrochus'', '' Tasmarubrius'', and '' Teeatta''), all of which are common in

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

and mainland Australia.

Genera

, the

World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...

accepts the following genera: *'' Altellopsis'' Simon, 1905 — Argentina *'' Amaurobius'' C. L. Koch, 1837 — North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Georgia, Micronesia *'' Anisacate'' Mello-Leitão, 1941 — Argentina, Chile *'' Arctobius'' Lehtinen, 1967 — United States, Canada, Russia *'' Auhunga'' Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand *'' Auximella'' Strand, 1908 — Ecuador, Brazil, Peru *'' Callevopsis'' Tullgren, 1902 — Chile, Argentina *'' Callobius'' Chamberlin, 1947 — North America, Bulgaria, Asia *'' Cavernocymbium'' Ubick, 2005 — United States *'' Chresiona'' Simon, 1903 — South Africa *'' Chumma'' Jocqué, 2001 — South Africa, Lesotho *'' Cybaeopsis'' Strand, 1907 — North America, Asia *'' Dardurus'' Davies, 1976 — Australia *'' Daviesa'' Koçak & Kemal, 2008 — Australia *'' Emmenomma'' Simon, 1884 — Argentina, Chile *'' Hicanodon'' Tullgren, 1901 — Chile, Argentina *'' Himalmartensus'' Wang & Zhu, 2008 — Nepal, India *'' Livius'' Roth, 1967 — Chile *'' Macrobunus'' Tullgren, 1901 — Chile, Argentina, South Africa *'' Malenella'' Ramírez, 1995 — Chile *'' Maloides'' Forster & Wilton, 1989 — New Zealand *'' Muritaia'' Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand *'' Naevius'' Roth, 1967 — Argentina, Peru, Bolivia *'' Neoporteria'' Mello-Leitão, 1943 — Chile *'' Neuquenia'' Mello-Leitão, 1940 — Argentina *'' Obatala'' Lehtinen, 1967 — South Africa *'' Otira'' Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand *'' Ovtchinnikovia'' Marusik, Kovblyuk & Ponomarev, 2010 *'' Oztira'' Milledge, 2011 — Australia *'' Parazanomys'' Ubick, 2005 — United States *'' Pimus'' Chamberlin, 1947 — United States *'' Pseudauximus'' Simon, 1902 — South Africa *'' Retiro'' Mello-Leitão, 1915 — South America, Costa Rica *'' Rhoicinaria'' Exline, 1950 — Colombia, Ecuador *'' Rubrius'' Simon, 1887 — Chile, Argentina *'' Storenosoma'' Hogg, 1900 — Australia *''

Taira The Taira was one of the four most important clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian, Kamakura and Muromachi Periods of Japanese history – the others being the Fujiwara, the Tachibana, and the Minamoto. The clan is divided ...

'' Lehtinen, 1967 — China, Japan *'' Tasmabrochus'' Davies, 2002 — Australia *'' Tasmarubrius'' Davies, 1998 — Australia *'' Teeatta'' Davies, 2005 — Australia *'' Tugana'' Chamberlin, 1948 — Cuba *'' Tymbira'' Mello-Leitão, 1944 — Argentina *'' Urepus'' Roth, 1967 — Peru *'' Virgilus'' Roth, 1967 — Ecuador *'' Wabarra'' Davies, 1996 — Australia *'' Waitetola'' Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand *'' Yacolla'' Lehtinen, 1967 — Brazil *'' Yupanquia'' Lehtinen, 1967 — Argentina *'' Zanomys'' Chamberlin, 1948 — United States, Canada

References

External links

Narrated Video of ''A. fenestralis''

Video of Amaurobiid from Ireland
{{Authority control Araneomorphae families

Reorganization

Genera

See also

References

External links