Family TETRABLEMMIDAE O.P.-Cambridge, 1873
Compiler and date details
Valerie Todd Davies (including the Lycosidae by R.J. McKay), Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Introduction
Haplogyne spiders with characteristic pattern of abdominal sclerotisation consisting of a large dorsal scutum, four ventral scuta, and three or four narrow, lateral and posterior scuta. Sexual dimorphism common. Usually six or four eyes, sometimes two, one or none. Onychium with three claws, single row of teeth on paired claws (cf. Oonopidae). Colulus present. Two rows of trichobothria on tibia, one trichobothrium on metatarsi, none on tarsi. Male palp without subtegulum and seldom with conductor. Posterior respiratory organs absent. In Victoria tetrablemmids are found in crevices of eucalyptus bark. Undescribed species have been found in litter in both sclerophyll and rainforest areas of Queensland and in monsoon forest of the Northern Territory. An undescribed Ablemma sp. has been collected in north Queensland (Harvey, M. pers. comm.).
Diagnosis
Minute to tiny (up to 2mm) haplogyne litter spiders. Eyes absent or only 4; sternum posteriorly reaches between coxae IV; joined to cephalothorax by intercoxal sclerites between all coxae. Abdomen laterally with 3 or more extensive scutes; dorsal scute covers all or most of dorsum; ventral scute covers all or most of venter with 2 or more plates, extends around pedicel; pedicel entirely sclerotised and inserted at ventral scutum. Spinnerets encircled by sclerotised ring.
Diagnosis References
Raven, R.J., Baehr, B.C. & Harvey, M.S. 2002. An Interactive Key to Australian Spider Subfamilies. Melbourne : Australian Biological Resources Study: CSIRO Publishing