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GRADUNGULIDAE Long-claw spiders

Gradungulids, or long-claw spiders, are medium to large spiders with two pairs of book-lungs. They are placed in the order Hypochilomorphae between the Mygalomorphae and the Araneomorphae because they have features of both. Gradungulids are found only in eastern Australia and New Zealand. They are related to the giant Tasmanian Cave Spider Hickmania troglodytes and its relatives in South America. Gradungulids can be easily recognised by the very long claws on the front two pairs of legs. Australian genera include Kaiya, Macrogradungula, Progradungula and Tarlina.

Progradungula

Progradungula carraiensis Forster & Gray, 1979 Carrai Cave Spider
A large, pale-fawn spider with darker head and jaws known only from the Carrai Plateau in northern NSW where it lives in the entrances to limestone... 

Tarlina woodwardi

Tarlina woodwardi (Forster, 1955) Woodward's Long-claw Spider
Even as juveniles, Tarlina woodwardi like other Tarlina spp. are readily recognised by the highly dimorphic, or vastly different in... 

 


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