Progradungula | |
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P. otwayensis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
Family: | Gradungulidae |
Genus: | Progradungula Forster & Gray, 1979[1] |
Type species | |
P. carraiensis Forster & Gray, 1979
| |
Species | |
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Progradungula is a genus of Australian large-clawed spiders that was first described by Raymond Robert Forster and Michael R. Gray in 1979.[2] As of May 2019[update] it contains only two species: P. carraiensis and P. otwayensis.[1]
The name is derived from Latin pro ("before"), and the genus name Gradungula, referring to the ancient ancestry of the genus. It is the first discovered web-building cribellate spider in a "primitive" araneomorph spider family and helped establish the idea that all araneomorph spiders evolved from cribellate ancestors.[3]
These spiders have an uncommon web-making technique and prey-capturing behaviour. A small (approximately 25 by 6 mm), tilting, ladder-like platform of cribellate capturing silk is supported by an overhead structure of threads linked to the rock walls and consists of two parallel stabilizing silk lines.