Large-clawed spiders facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Large-clawed spiders
Gradungula sorenseni, male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Gradungulidae Forster, 1955
Diversity
7 genera, 16 species

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. Progradungula, a large spider with long legs like Hickmania, and Macrogradungula are the only cribellate genera of the family.

Species

Gradungula Forster, 1955

• Gradungula sorenseni Forster, 1955 — New Zealand

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 carraiensis Forster & Gray, 1979 (type species) — New South Wales
• Progradungula otwayensis Milledge, 1997 — 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