Archaeidae, also known as assassin spiders and pelican spiders, is a spider family with about ninety described species in five genera. It contains small spiders, ranging from 2 to 8 millimetres long, that prey exclusively on other spiders. They are unusual in that they have "necks", ranging from long and slender to short and fat. The name "pelican spider" refers to these elongated jaws and necks used to catch their prey. Living species of Archaeidae occur in South Africa, Madagascar and Australia, with the sister family Mecysmaucheniidae occurring in southern South America and New Zealand.
Idiosoma is a genus of Australian armored trapdoor spiders that was first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, it was moved to the armored trapdoor spiders in 1985. The name is derived from the Greek ἴδιος (idios), meaning "individual, unique", and σῶμα (soma), meaning "body", referring to the distinctive structure of the abdomen.
Blakistonia is a genus of Australian armored trapdoor spiders that was first described by Henry Roughton Hogg in 1902.
Cataxia is a genus of Australian armored trapdoor spiders that was first described by William Joseph Rainbow in 1914.
Euoplos is a genus of Australian armored trapdoor spiders that was first described by William Joseph Rainbow in 1914.
Zephyrarchaea janineae is a species of spider of the family Archaeidae. The Latin species name was chosen to honor Janine Wojcieszek who helped in discovering the first live specimens of the species in 2006. Zephyrarchaea janineae is endemic to the South West Region in Western Australia.
Zephyrarchaea barrettae is a species of spider of the family Archaeidae. The Latin species name was chosen to honor Sarah Barrett, who first discovered assassin spiders in the Stirling Range National Park.
Michael Gordon Rix is an Australian arachnologist, whose publications mainly concern spiders.
Austrarchaea binfordae is a species of spider in the genus Austrarchaea. It was described by Rix & Harvey in 2011 after being identified in New South Wales, Australia. It is named for the US arachnologist, Greta Binford.
Austrarchaea is a genus of Australian assassin spiders first described by Raymond Robert Forster & Norman I. Platnick in 1984.
Moggridgea rainbowi, also called the Australian trapdoor spider, is a small spider endemic to Kangaroo Island in South Australia. The spider was first recorded in 1919.
Gaius is a genus of large mygalomorph spiders in the family Idiopidae. Erected in 1914, for much of its history the genus contained only one species, Gaius villosus. More species were added in 2018. All are endemic to Western Australia.
Zephyrarchaea mainae is a species of spider, informally known as Main's assassin spider, Albany assassin spider, and the Western archaeid spider. The first of the assassin spider family found in Western Australia, the species was unknown until its collection at Torndirrup National Park near Albany was published in 1987.
Zephyrarchaea grayi, also known as the Grampians Assassin Spider, is a species of spider in the family Archaeidae. It is endemic to Grampians National Park in Australia.
Zephyrarchaea marae, the West Gippsland assassin spider, is a spider in the family Archaeidae. The species was first described by Michael G. Rix and Mark Harvey in 2012. It is endemic to Victoria in Australia.
Zephyrarchaea marki, the Cape Le Grand assassin spider, is a spider in the family Archaeidae. The species was first described by Michael G. Rix and Mark Harvey in 2012. It is endemic to Cape Le Grand National Park in Australia.
The Otway Range Assassin Spider(Zephyrarchaea porchi) is a species of spider in the family Archaeidae. It is endemic to Victoria, Australia.
Zephyrarchaea vichickmani, the Central Highlands assassin spider, is a spider in the family Archaeidae. The species was first described by Michael G. Rix and Mark Harvey in 2012. It is endemic to Victoria, Australia.
Zephyrarchaea austini or the Kangaroo Island assassin spider is a species of Australian assassin spiders that is endemic to the north west of Kangaroo Island. It was discovered in 2010, and described 2012 by Michael G. Rix and Mark Harvey, and named for Andy Austin.
