 trapdoor spider |  baboon spider | |
The Mygalomorphae is a suborder of spiders that include some of the largest
and most fascinating spiders - the baboon and trapdoor spiders. Among the
spiders they are regarded as more primitive with the oldest fossil records
dating back to the Triassic Period. They are long-lived animals and can reach 20
years in captivity. Currently 15 families of mygalomorph spiders are recognized
worldwide, of which 11 are found in the Afrotropical Region and ten in Southern
Africa. They are represented by the following number of genera and species.
Most mygalomorph families are terrestrial and live in
silk-lined retreats either burrows of various shapes made in the soil or
sac-like chambers made under rocks or on tree trunks. The entrances to these
retreats can be left open or closed off with a trapdoor made out of silk and
soil particles. Most species are nocturnal and hide during the day in their
retreats. At night they wait in the entrance of their retreats for passing prey
or they wander around in search of prey. They prey on a variety of insects and
small animals and form an important part of the ecological food chain.
| Atypidae | 1 | 1 |
| Barychelidae | 3 | 5 |
| Ctenizidae | 1 | 41 |
| Cyrtaucheniidae | 2 | 27 |
| Dipluridae | 2 | 5 |
| Idiopidae | 6 | 62 |
| Microstigmatidae | 1 | 6 |
| Migidae | 2 | 26 |
| Nemesiidae | 5 | 49 |
| Theraphosidae | 6 | 48 |
| 29 | 280 |
