General overview
|
  Fig. 1.: Examples of Agelenidae from Germany. Left: Tegenaria atrica; right: Textrix denticulata.
|
The definition of this spider family has changed over the past decades.
Some genera that were previously placed in this family have been
transferred into other families (e.g. Cicurina, Cryphoeca, Cybaeus,
Argyroneta, Hahnia, Amaurobius). The interrelationships of the remaining
"core" agelenids is currently discussed controversially and the
monophyly of some genera is debated. The species of the Agelenidae make
dense silk sheets, that are often combined with a tube-shaped portion
that serves as a retreat. Many species are synanthropic and their silk
dwellings are often found in basements and cellars. The Agelenidae are
characterised by their long, two-segmented spinnerets. Most of their
life the spiders spend in their silk dwellings and ambush prey animals.
Only the males are more mobile when they migrate to find females for
mating and then can be encountered walking across walls and ceilings
inside buildings at night.
|
Morphology
|
The
posterior spinnerets comprise two segments, and especially the distal
segment is much elongated. The tarsal segment of all four legs bears two large claws and a
third smaller claw.
|
Biology
|
No information has been entered yet.
|
Systematics
|
No information has been entered yet.
|
|
|
