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Family HERSILIIDAE Thorell, 1870

Long-tailed Spiders


Compiler and date details

2012 - Dr Barbara Baehr, Queensland Museum, Brisbane

Valerie Todd Davies (including the Lycosidae by R.J. McKay), Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Introduction

Hersiliids live on bark and hunt over it at night. Hersilia sp. has been collected from the Northern Territory; this genus differs from Tamopsis in having 2-segmented metatarsi. The family appears to be closely related to the Oecobiidae.

 

Diagnosis

Hersiliids can be easily distinguished from all other araneomorph spiders by the extremely elongate and apically tapering posterior lateral spinnerets. Small to medium, 3-clawed spiders with long, thin, laterigrade legs. Extremely long posterior lateral spinnerets with spigots along the length of the inside edge; these spinnerets are strongly recurved, AME larger than ALE. Claws on onychium. One trichobothrium on metatarsi, none on tarsi. Trochanters un-notched. Colulus present. No tibial apophysis on male palp.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
15-Oct-2020 20-Jun-2012 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)