trap-door spider

trap-door spider, any member of the spider family Ctenizidae and certain members of the families Antrodiaetidae, Actinopodidae, and Migidae (order Araneida). Trap-door spiders construct burrows in the ground; at the entrance they build a silken-hinged door. The spider feeds by quickly opening the trap door and grabbing an insect that is passing close by.

The ctenizids, the best-known trap-door spiders, have a special row of teeth adapted for digging. The body, 2.5 cm (one inch) or more in length, is usually dull brown in colour. The legs are relatively short. Ctenizids are common in the southwestern United States and in tropical and subtropical regions.

The tunnel of a ctenizid, sometimes 15 cm (almost 6 inches) long, may consist of a single tube or may be branched. The door, often camouflaged, usually exceeds 2.5 cm (1 inch) in width. Tunnels off the main tube may also have doors. The spiders remain in the tube except when hunting. They are timid and quickly retreat into the tube if frightened.

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Antrodiaetids occur in Japan and North America. Actinopodids are found in Argentina, Africa, and Australia. Migids occur in temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere.