Family SICARIIDAE Keyserling, 1880

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Introduction

The Sicariidae include the notorious Fiddleback spider genus, Loxosceles, to which horrible necrotising wounds have been attributed; intense detective work backed by scientific research in the United States is now revealing that the association of the spider with these wounds is not defensible, scientifically, and their continued association may be constraining thorough research into the etiology of the wounds. Currently, in Australia, Loxosceles is known only from northern suburbs of Adelaide, South Australia.

Diagnosis

Medium to large (4–30mm) haplogyne spiders. Cephalothorax pear-shaped. Six eyes; lateral eyes close to or on side of head; in 2 rows; rows equal in width. Cheliceral promargin with median lamella, retromargin edentate. Maxillae longer than wide; convergent. Labium longer than wide; triangular; not fused to sternum. Sternum circular to subcircular, or ovoid; posteriorly straight; with triangular extensions fitting in coxal concavities. Colulus evident. Legs prograde; leg I and/or II longer than others; legs long, slender; onychium present; 2 claws. Male palp with anteriorly truncate cymbium; bulb attached terminally on cymbium; bulb simple pyriform.

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