Family ANAPIDAE Simon, 1895

Museums

Regional Maps

• Holarchaeidae Forster & Platnick, 1984.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Dimitrov, D., Benavides, L.R., Arnedo, M.A., Giribet, G., Griswold, C.E., Scharff, N. & Hormiga, G. 2017. Rounding up the usual suspects: a standard target-gene approach for resolving the interfamilial phylogenetic relationships of ecribellate orb-weaving spiders with a new family-rank classification (Araneae, Araneoidea). Cladistics 33: 221-250

Introduction

The Anapidae are amongst the smallest spiders in Australia and build minute horizontal orb webs often with radially supporting superstructure above.

Diagnosis

Minute to tiny (up to 2mm) haplogyne litter-dwelling spiders. Cephalothorax raised at front; caput sharply demarcated, separated by deep groove; fovea absent. Eyes: 6 or rarely 8; lateral eyes close to or on side of head; in two rows; rows equal in width. Cheliceral margins with 1 or more teeth. Maxillae about as long as wide or widest anteriorly; convergent. Labium about as wide as long; triangular; not fused to sternum. Sternum circular to subcircular; posteriorly straight; pustulose. Abdomen broadly oval or circular; laterally normal or high; dorsal scute covers all or most of dorsum; ventral scute covers outer edges of book lung openings; pedicel entirely sclerotised and inserted at ventral scutum. Leg tarsi about twice as long as metatarsi; palp on female reduced or absent. 3 claws. Male palp bulb pyriform, globose; tibial apophysis retrolateral or absent; patellar apophysis present or absent.

History of changes