Enigmatic Spiers

Paraplectanoididae Kuntner, Coddington, Agnarsson & Bond, 2023

Type genus: Paraplectanoides Keyserling, 1886

(after Kuntner et al. 2023): Spiders of the family Paraplectanoididae construct a nest whose architecture is unlike the archetypal orb-web built by most representatives of Orbipurae. Paraplectanoides crassipes builds an ovoid three-dimensionalsheet that lacks sticky lines; the only potentially homologous features with the classical orb-web are the radii and a horizontal hub. Paraplectanoididae males and females uniquely possess a flange on the cheliceral fang. Females have an additional flange modification of the cheliceral paturon and a highly elevated head region of the carapace. Unlike in nephilids, the cheliceral condyle (boss) in Paraplectanoides is smooth, and is not striated.

(after Kuntner et al. 2025): Paraplectanoididae differ from all other araneoid spider families by males having a sclerotized embolic conductor and a membranous secondary embolic conductor that originate from the embolic tegular membrane, and by the shape of the posterior part of the female epigynum termed the epigynal lip that possesses laterally positioned pits. Paraplectanoididae differ from all other araneoid spider families, except some zygiellines (Leviellus), by a subdistally modified embolus in the male pedipalp, a feature termed the subdistal embolic projection. Paraplectanoididae differ from zygiellines by the absence of a median apophysis and by the presence ofboth an embolic conductor and a secondary embolic conductor. Paraplectanoididae differ from all other spiders except Nephilidae, Phonognathidae, and Caerostris (Araneidae) by the presence of the embolic conductor in the male palpal embolic division. Paraplectanoididae differ from all other Orbipurae families except Nephilidae by the squat paracymbium with a finger-like projection. Paraplectanoididae differ from Nephilidae by the shape of the female abdomen, which is either wider than it is long or is truncated, by the presence of the radix, by the embolic conductor, which follows the contour of the embolus but does not fully envelope the embolus as in Nephilidae, by the presence of a secondary embolic conductor, by the presence of the pars pendula in the embolus, and by the embolus shape, which in Paraplectanoididae is distally modified. The web of paraplectanoidids, unlike that of nephilids, has no capture spirals thereby lacking the shape of a (classical or modified) orb.