| Wafer-lid trapdoor spider Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Anemesia koponeni | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Clade: | Avicularioidea |
| Family: | Cyrtaucheniidae Simon, 1892 [1] |
| Diversity [2] | |
| 6 genera, 93 species | |
 | |
The family Cyrtaucheniidae, known as wafer-lid trapdoor spiders,[ citation needed ] [3] are a widespread family of Mygalomorphae spiders.
Wafer-lid spiders are generally large and range in color between light brown and black. Their eyes are places in two rows, either in a rectangular position or with the back row wider apart. [4] They lack the thorn-like spines on tarsi and metatarsi I and II (the two outermost leg segments) found in true trapdoor spiders (Ctenizidae).
Many, but not all, make wafer-like doors to their burrows, while others build the cork-like doors found commonly in the true trapdoor spiders.
The family is well represented South America, and Africa. A currently undescribed genus in the western United States may hold an altitude record for the family, being found up to over 11,000 feet (3,400 meters). The genus Anemesia is found only in Central Asia, and Cyrtauchenius reaches from Algeria north to Italy, with one species found in the USA. Angka is endemic to the cloud forest of Doi Inthanon, Thailand.
The former subfamily Euctenizinae from the US and Mexico were promoted to family rank as Euctenizidae in 2012, and are now considered more closely related to Idiopidae. [5] Further changes to the circumscription of the family were made in 2020. As of April 2023 [update] , the World Spider Catalog accepted the following genera: [5]
Genera which have been reclassified to other families include:
The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3,000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to their creation of trapdoors over their burrows. Other prominent groups include Australian funnel web spiders and tarantulas, with the latter accounting for around one third of all mygalomorphs.
The family Dipluridae, known as curtain-web spiders are a group of spiders in the infraorder Mygalomorphae, that have two pairs of booklungs, and chelicerae (fangs) that move up and down in a stabbing motion. A number of genera, including that of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax), used to be classified in this family but have now been moved to Atracidae.
Ctenizidae is a small family of mygalomorph spiders that construct burrows with a cork-like trapdoor made of soil, vegetation, and silk. They may be called trapdoor spiders, as are other, similar species, such as those of the families Liphistiidae, Barychelidae, and Cyrtaucheniidae, and some species in the Idiopidae and Nemesiidae. The name comes from the distinctive behavior of the spiders to construct trapdoors, and ambush prey from beneath them.
Hexathelidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders. It is one of a number of families and genera of spiders known as tunnelweb or funnel-web spiders. In 2018, the family was substantially reduced in size by genera being moved to three separate families: Atracidae, Macrothelidae and Porrhothelidae.
Idiopidae, also known as armored or spiny trapdoor spiders, is a family of mygalomorph spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1889.
Nemesiidae, also known as funnel-web trapdoor spiders, is a family of mygalomorph spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1889, and raised to family status in 1985. Before becoming its own family, it was considered part of "Dipluridae".
Barychelidae, also known as brushed trapdoor spiders, is a spider family with about 300 species in 39 genera.
Genysa is a genus of East African armored trapdoor spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1889. As of May 2019 it contains only three species, all found in Madagascar: G. bicalcarata, G. decorsei, and G. decorsei.
The Euctenizidae are a family of mygalomorph spiders. They are now considered to be more closely related to Idiopidae.
Entychides is a genus of mygalomorph trapdoor spiders in the family Euctenizidae, and was first described by Eugène Simon in 1888. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was moved to the wafer trapdoor spiders in 1985, then to the Euctenizidae in 2012.
Stenoterommata is a genus of South American araneomorph spiders in the family Pycnothelidae. It was first described by E. L. Holmberg in 1881. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was transferred to the funnel-web trapdoor spiders in 1985, then to the Pycnothelidae in 2020. It is a senior synonym of Ctenochelus.
Ancylotrypa is a genus of African wafer trapdoor spiders that was first described by Eugène Simon in 1889. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was moved to the Cyrtaucheniidae in 1953.
Cyrtauchenius is a genus of wafer trapdoor spiders that was first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1869. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was moved to the Cyrtaucheniidae in 1985.
Homostola is a genus of African mygalomorph spiders in the family Bemmeridae. It was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1892. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was transferred to the wafer trapdoor spiders in 1985, and to the Bemmeridae in 2020. It is a senior synonym of Stictogaster and Paromostola.
Rhytidicolus is a monotypic genus of South American wafer trapdoor spiders containing the single species, Rhytidicolus structor. It was first described by Eugène Simon in 1889, and has only been found in Venezuela. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was moved to the Cyrtaucheniidae in 1985 and Rhytidicolidae in 2022.
Entypesa is a genus of African mygalomorph spiders in the family Entypesidae. It was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1902. Originally placed with the curtain-web spiders, it was transferred to the funnel-web trapdoor spiders in 1985, then to the Entypesidae in 2020. It is a senior synonym of Pseudohermacha.
Hermacha is a genus of mygalomorphae spiders in the family Entypesidae. It was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1889. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was transferred to the funnel-web trapdoor spiders in 1985, then to the Entypesidae in 2020. It is a senior synonym of Damarchodes and Hermachola.
Acontius is a genus of wafer trapdoor spiders that was first described by Ferdinand Karsch in 1879.
Bemmeridae is a family of African and Asian mygalomorph spiders that was first described as the tribe Bemmereae by Eugène Simon in 1903. It was elevated to a subfamily of funnel-web trapdoor spiders (Bemmerinae) in 1985, then to its own family in 2020.
Pycnothelidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders first described in 1917. It was downgraded to a subfamily of the funnel-web trapdoor spiders in 1985, but returned to family status in 2020.
