Stiphidiidae Explained

Stiphidiidae, also called sheetweb spiders, is a family of araneomorph spiders first described in 1917.^[1] Most species are medium size (Stiphidion facetum is about long) and speckled brown with long legs. All members of this family occur in New Zealand and Australia except for Asmea. They build a horizontal sheet-like web under rocks, hence the name "sheetweb spiders".

The largest of New Zealand's species is Cambridgea foliata, with a body length up to and a span of up to . Hikers and trampers often find their sheet-like webs that can be up to across, but the spider itself is nocturnal, spending the day time inside its web tunnel.^[2] It can also be found in gardens and males may enter human homes. Their large size, including mouth parts up to long, may be intimidating, but it is considered harmless to humans and bites are extremely rare.

Genera

See main article: List of Stiphidiidae species., the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera:^[3]

• Aorangia Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand
• Asmea Gray & Smith, 2008 — Papua New Guinea
• Borrala Gray & Smith, 2004 — Australia
• Carbinea Davies, 1999 — Australia
• Couranga Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
• Elleguna Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
• Jamberoo Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
• Kababina Davies, 1995 — Australia
• Karriella Gray & Smith, 2008 — Australia
• Malarina Davies & Lambkin, 2000 — Australia
• Marplesia Lehtinen, 1967 — New Zealand
• Neolana Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand
• Neoramia Forster & Wilton, 1973 — New Zealand
• Pillara Gray & Smith, 2004 — Australia
• Procambridgea Forster & Wilton, 1973 — Australia, New Zealand
• Stiphidion Simon, 1902 — Australia, New Zealand
• Tartarus Gray, 1973 — Australia
• Therlinya Gray & Smith, 2002 — Australia
• Tjurunga Lehtinen, 1967 — Australia
• Wabua Davies, 2000 — Australia

See also

• List of Stiphidiidae species

External links

• Picture of Cambridgea foliata
• Pictures of Stiphidium facetum and its web
• Gray, M. R. & H. M. Smith (2002). Therlinya, a new genus of spiders from eastern Australia (Araneae: Amaurobioidea). Rec. austral. Mus. 54: 293–312.PDF

Notes and References

1. Dalmas. R. de. 1917. Araignées de Nouvelle-Zélande. Annales de la Société Entomologique de France. 86. 317–430.
2. Web site: SHEETWEB SPIDER. Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research. 2019-04-24.
3. Web site: Family: Stiphidiidae Dalmas, 1917. World Spider Catalog. 2019-04-24. Natural History Museum Bern.