Family MITURGIDAE Simon, 1889

Museums

Regional Maps

• Miturginae Simon, 1889.
• Zorinae O.P.-Cambridge, 1893.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Ramirez, M.J. 2014. The morphology and phylogeny of Dionychan spiders (Araneae: Araneomorphae). Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 390: 1-374

Introduction

The Miturgidae are small to large nocturnal and diurnal ground-hunting spiders that occur from rainforest to deserts. They include many species, many of which are new and highly localised while some occur Australia wide. The New Zealand zoropsid genus Uliodon presently includes two Australian miturgid species; their position here reflects a revision in preparation. Raven (2009) discusses and establishes a new subfamily, new genera and new species.

Diagnosis

Miturgids differ from Zoridae in that the males have the tibial apophysis with an unsclerotised zone, and from the Ctenidae and Zoropsidae in lacking strong paired spines on tibiae and metatarsi I, II.
They are araneomorph spiders with only 2 claws, true claw tufts present or scopula extending around claws; weak paired spines ventrally on tibiae and metatarsi I & II; basally divided median apophysis; RTA with unsclerotised zone and maxillae rounded rectanguloid with short diagonal groove. Retrocoxal hymen distinct on I. Eight similar-sized eyes in 2 rows; from above, front row straight to slightly recurved, back row slightly procurved, straight to clearly recurved; tapetum grate-shaped. Females with spigots only apical on PMS.

General References

Raven, R.J. 2009. Revisions of Australian ground-hunting spiders: IV. The spider subfamily Diaprograptinae subfam. nov. (Araneomorphae: Miturgidae). Zootaxa 2035: 1-40

History of changes