Family OECOBIIDAE Blackwall, 1862

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Introduction

Both species of this small cribellate spider family, have been introduced into Australia. They spin small sheet webs on walls in buildings and dart out from under the web when this is touched.

Excluded Taxa

Misidentifications

OECOBIIDAE: Oecobius annulipes Lucas, 1846 [occurs only in Algeria; Australian species, O. navus, considered now to be distinct] — Wunderlich, J. 1995. First endemic Australian Oecobiidae and Nesticidae (Arachnida: Araneae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 38: 591-692

Diagnosis

Tiny web-building cribellate spiders with characteristic heart-shaped carapace and diagnostic fringe of hairs around the anal tubercle. Small, 3-clawed spiders with a large two-segmented anal tubercle with a fringe of long hairs. Terminal segments of posterior spinnerets long with spigots along inner edge. One trichobothrium on metatarsi, none on tarsi.

History of changes