Actinopodidae: Actinopodinae

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Fig. 1. Missulena sp. - female.

Fig. 2 Missulena bradleyi - male.

Michael Doe

Fig. 3. Missulena bradleyi - male.

Robert Raven

Fig. 4. Missulena sp. - Lake Mungo National Park, New South Wales.

Stephen Mahoney

Fig. 5. Distribution of Actinopodidae.

Fig. 6. Carapace steeply rising from thorax to caput, almost vertical posteriorly (posterior is to right on image).

Fig. 7. Wide eye group, with lateral eyes close to on side of caput.

Total length

Medium to large (4–30mm) (Figs 1-4).

Distribution

Northern Territory, Western Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Australian Capital Territory (Fig. 5).

Habitat

Open eucalyptus forest, semi-arid areas.

Spinnerets

Four. PLS segments unequal in length; apical segment domed or triangular.

Cephalothorax

Caput of females steeply raised to vertical posteriorly (Fig. 6); fovea of females deeply procurved or U-shaped.

Eyes eight eyes; group wide, lateral eyes close to or on side of caput (Fig. 7); two rows; front row wider; not on tubercle.

Chelicerae fangs diagonal; retromargin with three or more teeth; middle row of teeth absent; intercheliceral tumescence in male absent; rastellum with thick spines, or with few setae at distal margin.

Maxillae longer than wide, or about as long as wide; anterior lobe well defined, conical; serrula absent; cuspules in female few or absent.

Labium longer than wide; cuspules in female few, 10 or less; in broad group.

Sternum with three pairs of sigilla.

Legs

Preening combs on metatarsi III; tarsi with filiform trichobothria for length.

Claws: three; paired claws with one row of teeth centrally; third claw in female dentate; tufts absent.

Scopula: in females, only on tarsus and metatarsus IV.

Male Palp

Cymbium aspinose (spines absent); ascopulate (scopulae absent).

Genera included

Missulena.