Gradungulidae, also known as large-clawed spiders, is a spider family endemic to Australia and New Zealand. They are medium to large-sized haplogyne spiders with three claws and two pairs of book-lungs similar to Mygalomorphae.
Some species build extensive webs with an upper retreat tangle and connecting threads to scaffolding. This supports the ladder-like catching platform that is glued to the ground.
Hickmania, Progradungula (a large spider with long legs like Hickmania,), and Macrogradungula are the only cribellate genera of the family.
Species , this family includes eight genera and eighteen species:
Gradungula Gertsch, 1958 Gradungula sorenseni Forster, 1955 — New Zealand
Hickmania Forster, 1955 Hickmania troglodytes (Higgins & Petterd, 1883) — Tasmania
Kaiya Gray, 1987 Kaiya bemboka Gray, 1987 — New South Wales Kaiya brindabella (Moran, 1985) — Australian Capital Territory Kaiya parnabyi Gray, 1987 — Victoria Kaiya terama Gray, 1987 (type species) — New South Wales
Macrogradungula Gray, 1987 Macrogradungula moonya Gray, 1987 — Queensland
Pianoa Forster, 1987 Pianoa isolata Forster, 1987 — New Zealand
Progradungula Forster & Gray, 1979 Progradungula barringtonensis Michalik & Smith, 2024 – Australia (New South Wales) Progradungula carraiensis Forster & Gray, 1979 – Australia (New South Wales) (type species) Progradungula otwayensis Milledge, 1997 – Australia (Victoria)
Spelungula Forster, 1987 Spelungula cavernicola Forster, 1987 — New Zealand
Tarlina Gray, 1987 Tarlina daviesae Gray, 1987 — Queensland Tarlina milledgei Gray, 1987 — New South Wales Tarlina noorundi Gray, 1987 (type species) — New South Wales Tarlina simipes Gray, 1987 — Queensland Tarlina smithersi Gray, 1987 — New South Wales Tarlina woodwardi (Forster, 1955) — Queensland
References
Forster, R. R., Platnick, N. I. and Gray, M. R. (1987): A review of the spider superfamilies Hypochiloidea and Austrochiloidea (Araneae, Araneomorphae). Bulletin of the AMNH 185(1): 1-116 Abstract - PDF (50Mb)
External links
Carrai cave spider Progradungula carraiensis