Dwarf tarantula

Dwarf tarantulas, also known as sheet funnel-web spiders are a type of spider from the family Mecicobothriidae. Dwarf tarantulas are one of several families of the suborder Mygalomorphae; this larger group also includes the true tarantulas.

Dwarf tarantula Temporal range: Cretaceous–present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Illustration of Mecicobothrium thorelli
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Mygalomorphae
Clade:	Atypoidea
Family:	Mecicobothriidae Holmberg, 1882[1]

Description

Dwarf tarantulas, as the name indicates, appear very similar to tarantulas, but are physically much smaller. Many specimens are smaller than 1 cm in length, and the largest in the family are seldom larger than 2 cm. The spiders, like all Mygalomorphae, have downward pointing fangs; dwarf tarantulas also have long spinnerets.

Genera

There is currently only 1 recognized genus in this family:^[1]

Mecicobothrium Holmberg, 1882

• Mecicobothrium baccai Lucas et al., 2006 — Brazil
• Mecicobothrium thorelli Holmberg, 1882 — Argentina, Uruguay

Genera moved to other families include:

• Hexura Simon, 1884 → Antrodiaetidae
• Hexurella Gertsch & Platnick, 1979 → Hexurellidae
• Megahexura Kaston, 1972 → Megahexuridae

See also

• Spider families