Australian Biological Resources Study

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Family MICROPHOLCOMMATIDAE Hickman, 1944


Compiler and date details

2011 - Helen M. Smith

Valerie Todd Davies, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

  • Micropholcommatidae Hickman, 1944.

 

Introduction

The Micropholcommatidae are minute, 3-clawed spiders without book-lungs. They build small irregular webs. Much information on the family has recently been contributed in publications by Rix et al., including a molecular phylogeny of the family (Rix, Harvey & Roberts 2008), and a major generic level revisionary study (Rix & Harvey 2010).

 

Diagnosis

Minute to tiny (up to 2mm) litter-dwelling entelegyne spiders. 6 or 8 eyes. Abdomen broadly oval, or circular; laterally normal, or high; laterally with 3 or more extensive scute; dorsal scute covers all or most of dorsum, or with small, scattered sclerotized spots; ventral scute covers outer edges of book lung openings; pedicel entirely sclerotised and inserted at ventral scutum. Spinnerets encircled by sclerotised ring. Tarsi about twice as long as metatarsi; palp on female entire, reduced or absent. 3 claws.

 

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
15-Oct-2020 25-Jul-2011 MODIFIED
12-Feb-2010 (import)