Araneae (Spiders)

Actinopodidae are easily recognised from other Mygalomorphae by the widely spaced eyes that cover almost the whole width of the distinctly raised cephalic region. Males of some species have bright red chelicerae and cephalic areas (less distinct in females) and iridescent blue abdomens.

Members of the family Anamidae differ from the Nemesiidae by the well-defined posterior heel on the maxillae, the absence of claw tufts and a serrula and both males and females with two rows of teeth on the paired claws.

Prolateral field of short dense setae on tarsus I of males and enlarged aggregate gland spigots on the posterior lateral spinnerets of both sexes.

Males in the genera Cheiracanthium and Eutittha have a distinct spine-like extension at the base of the cymbium of the male pedipalp.

Male linyphiids have an intersegmental paracymbium on the male pedipalp. Females lack the fourth tarsal comb of the similar Theridiidae and generally have much spinier legs.

Pirate spiders can be diagnosed by the rows of spines on their long front legs; these rows consist of a long spine, followed by a series of progressively shorter ones.

Males with clasping spine on the metatarsus and/or the tibia of the first leg and females with characteristic dark dot on the proximal-ventral surface of the first femur.

Generall red and black spiders; male pedipalp tibia with large dorsal apophysis, subdivided into a small basal apophysis (A) and a large blunt apophysis (B).

Small; carapace is wider than long, with protruding frontal tip and eyes situated towards the centre away from the frontal margin; eyes in a tight group but anterior median and posterior lateral eyes fully developed, all others narrower and indistinct.

Goblin Spiders are very similar to the Six-eyed Ground Spiders (Orsolobidae) and some Australian genera were initially placed in the oonopids until the family Orsolobidae was established. Differences between both families are subtle and include a peculiar, raised morphology of a tarsal chemosensory organ in orsolobids.

Represented by only by a single genus in Australia, Prodidomus; elongate pale spiders with large, silvery posterior median and lateral eyes.

Jumping spiders are readily recognised by their enlarged anterior median eyes.

Spination on legs III–IV reduced, absence of scales, absence of epiandrous spigots, one major ampullate glands in females, median apophysis absent, and secondary spermatheca about as large as the primary ones.

As their colloquial name suggests, Venomless Spiders do not have venom glands. Most build complete cribellate orb-webs.

Males with dense scopula dorsally on male pedipalp cymbium; pedal tibia with basal fracture, 4–5 pairs of spines on raised bases on tibia I & II; most females with spigots dorsally on posterior median spinnerets, raised spines on tibiae and metatarsi I & II.