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The spider family Antrodiaetidae (foldingdoor trapdoor spiders) includes 33 described species, 21 in the genus Antrodiaetus and 12 in the genus Aliatypus (Platnick 2013). These mygalomorph spiders occur in the continental United States, where they are widespread, and in British Columbia (Canada), as well as in Japan (according to Platnick [2013], there are 31 species in North America north of Mexico and two species in Japan). The North American Antrodiaetus species inhabit three main geographic regions: the deciduous forests of the eastern United States, the forested “sky islands” of the southwestern United States,and various habitats throughout the northwestern United States and adjacent portions of southwestern Canada (Hendrixson and Bond 2007).
Antrodiaetids excavate burrows that they line with silk, at least near the entrance. Many Antrodiaetus species construct the foldingdoors that give this family its common name. These spiders build a burrow with a loose silk collar that is pliable and can be pulled together, forming an invisible seam. Another group of three species, which used to be classified in a separate genus (Atypoides) but are now merged into Antrodiaetus (Hendrixson and Bond 2007), build a burrow with a turret. Aliatypus species build a burrow with a thin, hinged trapdoor. When closed, collars and trapdoors are very difficult to locate because the external surface often closely matches the surrounding substrate. When active, these spiders open their collars or trapdoors at night and wait just inside the entrance to strike at passing prey that the spiders detect by sensing substrate vibrations. As is the case for many burrow-inhabiting spiders, most encounters with humans involve wandering males. When mature, males abandon their burrows during rainy periods and wander in search of females.
Key references on the natural history and systematics of these spiders are Coyle (1971) and Coyle and Icenogle (1994). Hendrixson and Bond (2005) demonstrated that Antrodiaetus unicolor is actually a complex of cryptic species. Cokendolpher et al. (2005) described four new Antrodiaetus species from southwestern Oregon (U.S.A.) and Hedin and Carlson (2011) described a new Aliatypus species from California.
(Coyle 2005; Bradley 2013)
Antrodiaetidae, also known as folding trapdoor spiders or folding-door spiders, is a small spider family related to atypical tarantulas. They are found almost exclusively in the western and midwestern United States, from California to Washington and east to the Appalachian mountains.[1] Exceptions include Antrodiaetus roretzi and Antrodiaetus yesoensis, which are endemic to Japan and are considered relict species. It is likely that two separate vicariance events led to the evolution of these two species.[2]
As of July 2020, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following genera:[1]
The name “folding-door” describes how they open or close the entrance to their burrow; they unfold or fold the door.
Antrodiaetidae, also known as folding trapdoor spiders or folding-door spiders, is a small spider family related to atypical tarantulas. They are found almost exclusively in the western and midwestern United States, from California to Washington and east to the Appalachian mountains. Exceptions include Antrodiaetus roretzi and Antrodiaetus yesoensis, which are endemic to Japan and are considered relict species. It is likely that two separate vicariance events led to the evolution of these two species.
