Atracidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders, commonly known as Australian funnel-web spiders or atracids. It has been included as a subfamily of the Hexathelidae, but is now recognised as a separate family. All members of the family are native to Australia. Atracidae consists of three genera: Atrax, Hadronyche, and Illawarra, comprising 35 species. Some members of the family produce venom that is dangerous to humans, and bites by spiders of six of the species have caused severe injuries to victims. The bites of the Sydney funnel-web spider and northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider are potentially deadly, but no fatalities have occurred since the introduction of modern first-aid techniques and antivenom.
Atrax is a genus of venomous Australian funnel web spiders that was first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1877 from the type species Atrax robustus. As of May 2019 it contains only three species: A. robustus, A. sutherlandi, and A. yorkmainorum. Originally placed with the curtain web spiders, it was moved to the Hexathelidae in 1980, then to the Australian funnel-web spiders in 2018.
Hadronyche is a genus of venomous Australian funnel-web spiders that was first described by L. Koch in 1873. Originally placed with the curtain web spiders, it was moved to the Hexathelidae in 1980, then to the Atracidae in 2018.
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. Progradungula, a large spider with long legs like Hickmania, and Macrogradungula are the only cribellate genera of the family.
Stiphidiidae, also called sheetweb spiders, is a family of araneomorph spiders first described in 1917. Most species are medium size 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".
Progradungula is a genus of Australian large-clawed spiders that was first described by Raymond Robert Forster and Michael R. Gray in 1979. As of May 2019 it contains only two species: P. carraiensis and P. otwayensis.
Tartarus is a genus of spiders in the family Stiphidiidae. All four described species are found in cave systems of Western Australia. These are located in the karst area of the Nullarbor Plain. They are likely relict species from a time when the region was much more humid, given the fact that the other members of the family Stiphidiidae in Southern Australia live in forests.
Bengalla is a monotypic genus of Australian wandering spiders containing the single species, Bengalla bertmaini. It was first described by Michael R. Gray & Judith A. Thompson in 2001, and has only been found in Australia. It was originally assigned to the superfamily "Lycosoidea", but not to any actual family. In 2003, it was tentatively moved to the Ctenidae because of its apparent relationship to Janusia, another Australian monotypic genus of wandering spiders.
Colcarteria is a genus of Australian intertidal spiders that was first described by Michael R. Gray in 1992. As of May 2019 it contains only three species: C. carrai, C. kempseyi, and C. yessabah.
Asmea is a genus of Papuan sheetweb spiders that was first described by M. R. Gray & H. M. Smith in 2008.
Baiami is a genus of Australian intertidal spiders that was first described by Pekka T. Lehtinen in 1967. Originally placed with the Stiphidiidae, it was transferred to the Desidae after the results of a 2019 genetic analysis.
Borrala is a genus of New South Welsh sheetweb spiders that was first described by Michael R. Gray & Helen M. Smith in 2004.
Couranga is a genus of Australian sheetweb spiders that was first described by M. R. Gray & H. M. Smith in 2008. As of September 2019 it contains two species, found in New South Wales and Queensland: C. diehappy and C. kioloa.
Elleguna is a genus of Australian sheetweb spiders that was first described by M. R. Gray & H. M. Smith in 2008. As of September 2019 it contains two species, found in Queensland: E. major and E. minor.
Karriella is a genus of Western Australian sheetweb spiders that was first described by M. R. Gray & H. M. Smith in 2008. As of September 2019 it contains two species, found in Western Australia: K. treenensis and K. walpolensis.
Pillara is a genus of New South Welsh sheetweb spiders that was first described by M. R. Gray & H. M. Smith in 2004.
Therlinya is a genus of Australian sheetweb spiders that was first described by M. R. Gray & H. M. Smith in 2002.
Toxopidae is a small family of araneomorph spiders, first described in 1940. For many years it was sunk into Desidae as a subfamily, although doubts were expressed as to whether this was correct. A large-scale molecular phylogenetic study in 2016 led to the family being revived.
Jamberoo is a genus of Australian sheetweb spiders that was first described by Michael R. Gray & H. M. Smith in 2008.
Dr Michael Robert Blair Gray was an arachnologist who specialised in the taxonomy of spiders at the Australian Museum in Sydney with a particular interest in the systematics of Australian funnel-web spiders (Atracidae).
