Trochanteriid Spiders - Family: Trochanteriidae
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First described by the German arachnologist Ferdinand A. F. Karsch (1853 - 1936) in 1879, the Family: Trochanteriidae until not all that long ago contain considerably more species than the meagre 52 it counts at the present time. Some 15 genera have taken from it to become part of the Family: Trachycosmidae leaving only 6 behind including a single one of mostly Australian endemic species. Five members of this genus are possible or likely finds in the Northern Rivers.
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This one genus in question is Hemicloea, and there is still some ambiguity remaining on whether or not it should be placed here. In all likelyhood it does not belong to the Family: Trachycosmidae but it is just as possible it may belong in the Gnaphosida or Lamponidae as it is right here in the Trochanteriidae. For now the status quo is maintained by leaving the Hemicloea here until more information is brought to light.
(Note: a lot of on-line information about this family is outdated.) |
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Like the previous family, the Trochanteriidae are medium-sized spiders with severely flattened bodies often with rows of quite noticeable dents and large spinnerets protruding from the tip of the elongated abdomen. Colour is not common in the Australian genus with some shade of brown to black being most common. In size they range from 12 - 18 mm. As the bodyshape suggests, they live underneath rocks and loose fitting bark. To find them one needs to search for them as they are elusive. Their bodyshape, also, has earned them the moniker 'Flat Spiders'.
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Hemicloea limbata (possible occurrence)
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Hemicloea plumea (possible occurrence)
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Hemicloea regenhoferi (likely occurrence)
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Hemicloea sundevalli (likely occurrence)
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Hemicloea teneri (likely occurrence)
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Taxonomy:
Phylum: Arthropoda (Arthropods)
> Subphylum: Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
> Class: Arachnida (Arachnids)
> Order: Aranea (Spiders)
> Suborder: Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
> Infraorder: Entelegynea (Entelegyne Spiders)
> Superfamily: Gnaphosoidea (Ground Spiders and Allies)
> Family: Trochanteriidae (Trochanteriid Spiders)
> Genus: Hemicloea
> Species: H. limbata ^
> Species: H. plumea ^
> Species: H. rogenhoferi *
> Species: H. sundevalli *
> Species: H. tenera *
* = likely
^ = possibly
References and links:
> Azevedo, G.H.F., Griswold, C.E. and Santos, A.J., (2018). 'Systematics and evolution of ground spiders revisited (Araneae, Dionycha, Gnaphosidae).' Cladistics 34(6): 579-626. doi:10.1111/cla.12226
> Karsch, F., (1879). 'Arachnologische Beiträge.' Zeitschrift für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften 52: 534-562.
> Platnick, N.I., (2002). 'A revision of the Australasian ground spiders of the families Ammoxenidae, Cithaeronidae, Gallieniellidae, and Trochanteriidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea).' Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 271: 1-243. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2002)271<0001:AROTAG>2.0.CO;2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Karsch
https://wsc.nmbe.ch/genusdetail/937
> Azevedo, G.H.F., Griswold, C.E. and Santos, A.J., (2018). 'Systematics and evolution of ground spiders revisited (Araneae, Dionycha, Gnaphosidae).' Cladistics 34(6): 579-626. doi:10.1111/cla.12226
> Karsch, F., (1879). 'Arachnologische Beiträge.' Zeitschrift für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften 52: 534-562.
> Platnick, N.I., (2002). 'A revision of the Australasian ground spiders of the families Ammoxenidae, Cithaeronidae, Gallieniellidae, and Trochanteriidae (Araneae: Gnaphosoidea).' Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 271: 1-243. doi:10.1206/0003-0090(2002)271<0001:AROTAG>2.0.CO;2
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Karsch
https://wsc.nmbe.ch/genusdetail/937
Photographic contributions: