Xysticus is a genus of ground crab spiders described by C. L. Koch in 1835, belonging to the order Araneae, family Thomisidae. The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek root xyst, meaning "scraped, scraper".
Norman Ira Platnick was an American biological systematist and arachnologist. At the time of his death, he was a Professor Emeritus of the Richard Gilder Graduate School and Peter J. Solomon Family Curator Emeritus of the invertebrate zoology department of the American Museum of Natural History. A 1973 Ph.D. recipient at Harvard University, Platnick described over 1,800 species of spiders from around the world, making him the second most prolific spider taxonomist in history, behind only Eugène Simon. Until 2014 he was also the maintainer of the World Spider Catalog, a website formerly hosted by the AMNH which tracks the arachnology literature, and attempts to maintain a comprehensive list, sorted taxonomically, of every species of spider which has been formally described. In 2007 he received the International Society of Arachnology's Bonnet award, named for Pierre Bonnet, in recognition of his work on the catalog.
Cithaeronidae is a small family of araneomorph spiders first described by Simon in 1893 Female Cithaeron are about 5 to 7 millimetres long, males about 4 millimetres (0.16 in).
Gallieniellidae is a family of spiders first described by J. Millot in 1947. It was originally thought to be endemic to Madagascar until species were also found in southern Kenya, northeastern Argentina, and Australia. Drassodella was transferred from the family Gnaphosidae in 1990. They are suspected to be specialized in ant-preying.
Trochanteriidae is a family of spiders first described by Ferdinand Karsch in 1879 containing about 180 species in 21 genera. Most are endemic to Australia though Doliomalus and Trochanteria are from South America and Olin and Plator are from Asia. Platyoides species exist in southern and eastern Africa, Madagascar, and the Canary Islands with one species, P. walteri, introduced to Australia.
Trogloraptor is a genus of large spiders found in the caves of southwestern Oregon. It is the sole genus in the family Trogloraptoridae, and includes only one species, Trogloraptor marchingtoni. These spiders are predominantly yellow-brown in color with a maximum leg span of 3 in (7.6 cm). They are remarkable for having hook-like claws on the raptorial last segments of their legs.
Caponiidae is a family of ecribellate haplogyne spiders that are unusual in a number of ways. They differ from other spiders in lacking book lungs and having the posterior median spinnerets anteriorly displaced to form a transverse row with the anterior lateral spinnerets. Most species have only two eyes, which is also unusual among spiders. A few species of Caponiidae variously have four, six or eight eyes. In some species the number of eyes will increase when the spiderling changes its skin as it grows towards adulthood.
Barrowammo is a genus of North and West Australian termite hunters containing the single species, Barrowammo waldockae. It was first described by Norman I. Platnick in 2002, and has only been found in Australia. The name is a portmanteau of Barrow Island and Ammoxenidae.
Boolathana is a genus of spiders in the family Trochanteriidae found in western Australia. There are two species in the genus, Boolathana mainae and Boolathana spiralis. It is named after Boolathana Station, a pastoral lease near where the first specimen was found.
Boolathana spiralis is one of two species of western Australian spiders in the family Trochanteriidae. The name refers to the coiled tip of the middle apophysis, one of the defining characteristics of the species. It is mostly red to brown, the color fading from dark on the top front to gray in the sides and bottom.
Triaeris is a genus of goblin spiders erected by Eugène Simon in 1890 for the species Triaeris stenaspis. It was described from females from the Lesser Antilles; specimens were found later in heated greenhouses around Europe. No males of T. stenaspis have ever been found and the species may be parthenogenetic. Its taxonomy is confused, and the number of species that should be placed in the genus is unclear. In 2012, Norman I. Platnick and co-authors described the genus Triaeris as "an enigma wrapped around a mystery". They consider that most species assigned to the genus after Simon in 1890 and before 2012 do not belong to Triaeris.
Austrammo is a genus of Australian termite hunters first described by Norman I. Platnick in 2002.
Peeto is a monotypic genus of Australian araneomorph spiders in the family Gallieniellidae containing the single species, Peeto rodmani. It was first described by Norman I. Platnick in 2002, and has only been found in Australia.
Questo is a monotypic genus of Australian araneomorph spiders in the family Gallieniellidae containing the single species, Questo annuello, named after where it was found, Annuello, Victoria. It was first described by Norman I. Platnick in 2002, and has only been found in Australia.
Sosticus is a genus of ground spiders that was first described by R. V. Chamberlin in 1922.
Chilongius is a genus of Chilean ground spiders that was first described by Norman I. Platnick, M. U. Shadab & L. N. Sorkin in 2005.
Morebilus is a genus of spiders in the family Trochanteriidae found in southern and western Australia, first described by Norman I. Platnick in 2002. These are large spiders, with the carapace of males ranging from 10 to 16 millimeters and those of females ranging from 10 to 24 millimeters. They look similar to members of Rebilus, especially the spinneret and tarsal claw, but members of this genus have an inclined lip at the anterior edge of the sternum as well as a pair of enlarged sclerites on the coxal glands.
Cithaeron is a genus of araneomorph spiders in the family Cithaeronidae, first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1872.
Oreo is a genus of Australian araneomorph spiders in the family Gallieniellidae, and was first described by Norman I. Platnick in 2002.
Neato is a genus of Australian araneomorph spiders in the family Gallieniellidae, and was first described by Norman I. Platnick in 2002.
