Family SYMPHYTOGNATHIDAE Hickman, 1931

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Introduction

Minute to tiny, 3-clawed spiders with book-lungs replaced by tracheae. Webs are closely woven, horizontal orb webs or irregular threads in more or less horizontal plane. The family was first described (from Australia) by Hickman in 1931 and, until recently, served as a dumping ground for many minute spiders.

Diagnosis

The Symphytognathidae are a small family of araneoid spiders related to the Mysmenidae and Anapidae. All have only 6 eyes, the female palp is absent, and the chelicerae (viewed from the front) are fused medially for at least one-third their basal length, but most significantly (although very difficult to confirm), all book-lungs are absent. Chelicerae fused, at least at their base. No scuta on abdomen. Six to four eyes in triads or diads. High clypeus. Female palp reduced to trochanter and coxa or just coxa (maxilla). Male palp without apophyses on femur, patella or tibia. Labium much wider than long, sternum broadly truncate posteriorly. Tarsi longer than metatarsi. Anterior spiracles (tracheae to cephalothorax and abdomen or to cephalothorax only). In Anapistula a pair of posterior spiracles (trachea to cephalothorax) present.

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