Daddy Long-legs

Pholcidae C.L. Koch, 1850

Type genus: Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805

(after Framenau et al. 2014): Daddy Long-legs (family Pholcidae), as their colloquial name suggests, have exceptionally long and slender legs. Their eyes are arranged in two laterally situated groups that form triangles and this eye arrangement distinguishes them from similar spider in the families Synotaxidae and possibly Linyphiidae (Money Spiders).The chelicerae of pholcids are joined together at the base which is very unusual in spiders, but also occurs for example in the Filistatidae(Crevice Weavers) and Symphytognathidae.

Easily distinguished from other Australian pholcids by its large size.

Artema

1 species

Total length usually 3–5 mm with globular or higher-than-long opisthosoma, mostly with large anterior median eyes; differs from Wugigarra by weak zone on male cymbium and the absence of curved setae on legs.

Trichocyclus

1 species

Small (2–5 mm), absence of dorsal weak zone on male cymbium, presence of worm-shaped process on pedipalp bulb, curved setae on leg, females with stridulatory files, epigyne often with median pocket.

Wugigarra

1 species

Publications

Framenau VW, Baehr BC, Zborowski P (2014): A guide to the spiders of Australia. New Holland Publishers, 1 - 448

Huber BA (2001): The pholcids of Australia (Araneae: Pholcidae): taxonomy, biogeography, and relationships. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History. 260: 1 - 144

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Harry Butler Institute

N32138-1

♂

13 June 2023

Western Australia

Barrow Island, Butler Park

day hand collection

COI

CATAAAGATATTGGTACTTTGTATTTTTTGTTTGGGGTATGATCGGCTATGTTGGGTACGGCTCTTAGAGTGATAATTCGAGTTGAGTTAGGACAGGTTGGTGGATTTATAGGAGATGATCAACTTTATAATGTGGTTGTAACTGCGCATGCTTTGGTTATGATTTTTTTCATAGTTATGCCCATTTTAATTGGGGGGTTTGGGAATTGATTGGTGCCCCTGATATTAGGGTCTCCTGATATGGCTTTTCCTCGGATGAATAATTTGAGTTTTTGGTTGTTGCCTCCCTCTCTTGTATTGTTGCTTGTATCAGGAATAGTTGATAGAGGGGTTGGAGCAGGTTGAACTATTTATCCACCTCTTTCTGGGGTTGTTGGGCATGGGGGGGTTGCTGTTGATTTAGCTATTTTTTCGCTTCATTTGGCGGGTGCTTCTTCTATTATGGGGGCAATTAATTTTATCTCTACTGTTATTAATATACGAACTTTGGGGGTGGGTATAGATAAGATTTCTTTGTTTGTTTGGTCTGTAGTAATTACAGCTGTTCTTTTATTGTTGTCTTTACCGGTTTTAGCTGGAGCTATTACAATACTTCTTACAGATCGTAATTTTAACACAGCGTTTTTTGACCCTGCTGGGGGAGGGGATCCTATTCTATTTCAGCATTTATTTTGATTTTTTGGTCAC

Artema atlanta

Walckenaer, 1837

(34 records)

Trichocyclus nigropunctatus

Simon, 1908

(346 records)

Wugigarra FP-5311

(1 records)