Open-holed Trapdoor Spiders - Family: Pycnothelidae
|
The Pycnothelidae are a family of 139 species in 15 genera. It should be borne in mind though that over the past 3 to 4 years the family has been the subject of a number of phylogenetic studies, having been re-established as a family in its' own right (2020) after R. Raven, in 1985, downgraded it to the status of subfamily in the Nemesiidae. It is currently accepted to contain seven subfamilies as mentioned on the 'World Spider Catalog'. The majority of species are endemic to South America, a couple of small genera to Africa and one genus, Stanwellia, contains species species endemic to New Zealand or Australia only. The Genus: Stanwellia was first described by Rainbow & Pulleine in 1918.
|
For the eight Stanwellia species found in Australia most records have been from the south-east of the country with Victoria the state where they are most common. There have only been a handful of records of Stanwellia spp. in the Northern Rivers although the sightings have not been identified to species. Stanwellia species do bear quite a resemblance to mygalomorphs of the Genus: Aname (fam: Anamidae) though and even if not likely, the possibility of misidentification can not be excluded. For now, the Pycnothelidae are included here until such time as it is proven to be inappropriate.
|
|
Open-holed Trapdoor Spiders from the Genus: Stanwellia are generally large spiders, of the usual colour palette that dominates all mygalomorphs. They are robustly buiilt with strong, shortish legs. Two of their spinnerets protrude from underneath the abdomen like two little tails. As the name suggests they do build burrows, with a silk lining but normally without a lid. These burrows may be up to 40 cm deep.
|
Subfamily: Diplothelopsinae
|
Stanwellia sp.
|
Taxonomy:
Phylum: Arthropoda (Arthropods)
> Subphylum: Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
> Class: Arachnida (Arachnids)
> Order: Aranea (Spiders)
> Suborder: Mygalomorphae (Mygalomorphs)
> Superfamily: Avicularioidea
> Family: Pycnothelidae (Open-holded Trapdoor Spiders)
> Subfamily: Diplothelopsinae
> Genus: Stanwellia ^ (Open-holded Trapdoor Spiders)
> Species: ?
* = likely
^ = possibly
References and links:
> Montes de Oca, L., Indicatti, R.P., Opatova, V., Almeida, M., Pérez-Miles, F. and Bond, J.E., (2022). 'Phylogenomic analysis, reclassification, and evolution of South American nemesioid burrowing mygalomorph spiders.' Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 168(107377): 1-19. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107377
> Rainbow, W.J. and Pulleine, R.H., (1918). 'Australian trap-door spiders.' Records of the Australian Museum 12: 81-169, pl. 12-24.
https://wsc.nmbe.ch/family/138/Pycnothelidae
https://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2686
> Montes de Oca, L., Indicatti, R.P., Opatova, V., Almeida, M., Pérez-Miles, F. and Bond, J.E., (2022). 'Phylogenomic analysis, reclassification, and evolution of South American nemesioid burrowing mygalomorph spiders.' Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 168(107377): 1-19. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107377
> Rainbow, W.J. and Pulleine, R.H., (1918). 'Australian trap-door spiders.' Records of the Australian Museum 12: 81-169, pl. 12-24.
https://wsc.nmbe.ch/family/138/Pycnothelidae
https://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2686
Photographic contributions: