Kingdom Animalia Class Arachnida Phylum Arthropoda Order Spider | Subphylum Chelicerata Infraorder Araneomorphae Rank Family | |
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Similar Gallieniellidae, Trochanteriidae, Malkaridae, Ammoxenidae, Orsolobidae | ||
The Prodidomidae are a spider family with about 300 species in 31 genera. They are sometimes called long-spinneret ground spiders.
Contents
They are easily identified by the greatly elongated base of the piriform gland spigots. At least parts of their body are covered with shiny scales or setae. The posterior median eyes are flat and silvery, with a triangular, egg-shaped or irregularly rectangular shape.
Biology
Prodidomidae are ground dwellers. Most species are nocturnal and hide during the day in litter, but Myandra, which are probably mimicking ants, seems to be active during the day. The genus Zimiris is synanthropic and thus found throughout the tropics.
Distribution
Although Theuma walteri was described from Turkmenistan by Eugène Simon, it is suspected that Simon accidentally exchanged its locality with that of Anagraphis pallens (Gnaphosidae); then T. walteri would have been collected in the Cape of Good Hope, while A. pallens is from Turkmenistan.
Systematics
The Prodidomidae are considered "higher gnaphosoids", together with the Lamponidae and Gnaphosidae. These share anterior lateral spinnerets consisting of only a single article, while the lower gnaphosoids retain a separate, complete distal article that is represented by an entire, subdistal ring of sclerotized cuticle.