Gradungulidae

Updated on Oct 30, 2023

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Kingdom Animalia Superfamily Austrochiloidea Higher classification Austrochiloidea Order Spider		Suborder Araneomorphae Phylum Arthropoda Rank Family

Similar Cyatholipidae, Malkaridae, Gallieniellidae, Ammoxenidae, Amphinectidae

Gradungulidae is a spider family endemic to Australia and New Zealand with 16 species in seven genera. They are medium to large-sized three-clawed haplogyne spiders with two pairs of book-lungs (like Mygalomorphae).

The genus Gradungula lives in forest litter. Progradungula and Macrogradungula are the only cribellate genera of the family.

Various species within Grandungulidae build an extensive web consisting of an upper retreat tangle with connecting threads to scaffolding, which supports the ladder-like catching platform, which in turn is glued to the ground. Progradungula is a large spider with very long legs; it resembles Hickmania of Austrochilidae.

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

References

Gradungulidae Wikipedia

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