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.

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

Species

, this family includes eight genera and eighteen species:

Gradungula Gertsch, 1958

• Gradungula sorenseni Forster, 1955 — New Zealand

Hickmania Forster, 1955

• Hickmania troglodytes (Higgins & Petterd, 1883) — Tasmania

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 barringtonensis Michalik & Smith, 2024 – Australia (New South Wales)

• Progradungula carraiensis Forster & Gray, 1979 – Australia (New South Wales) (type species)

• Progradungula otwayensis Milledge, 1997 – Australia (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

• Forster, R. R., Platnick, N. I. and Gray, M. R. (1987): A review of the spider superfamilies Hypochiloidea and Austrochiloidea (Araneae, Araneomorphae). Bulletin of the AMNH 185(1): 1-116 Abstract - PDF (50Mb)

External links

• Carrai cave spider