Euctenizidae
Guides
Apomastus schlingeri
Apomastus schlingeri is a venomous trapdoor spider species described by Bond & Opell in 2002. It was originally misidentified as Aptostichus schlingeri before taxonomic revision placed it in the genus Apomastus. The species is known for producing a complex of neurotoxic peptides called aptotoxins, which function as voltage-gated sodium channel blockers. It is one of only two known species in the genus Apomastus, both restricted to the United States.
Aptostichus
Aptostichus is a genus of mygalomorph trapdoor spiders in the family Euctenizidae, described by Eugène Simon in 1891. The genus contains 41 described species distributed primarily in southern California, with some species extending into northern California, Mexico, and the Channel Islands. These spiders are notable for constructing silk-lined burrows with thin wafer-like trapdoors, though unlike some related genera, they do not seal side chambers with additional trapdoors. Several species have been named after prominent figures, reflecting both scientific interest and public engagement in arachnology.
Aptostichus miwok
Miwok Trapdoor Spider
Aptostichus miwok is a trapdoor spider species in the family Euctenizidae, described by arachnologist Jason Bond in 2008. The species name honors the Coast Miwok people, Indigenous inhabitants of coastal California from the Golden Gate northward. Like other Aptostichus species, it constructs silk-lined burrows with wafer-like trapdoor lids. The species belongs to a genus that has received notable attention for species named after celebrities and public figures.
Aptostichus sarlacc
Sarlacc Trapdoor Spider
Aptostichus sarlacc is a trapdoor spider species described by Jason Bond in 2012 from the Mojave Desert. The species epithet references the Sarlacc creature from George Lucas' Star Wars, a fictional desert-dwelling organism. It belongs to a genus of trapdoor spiders known for constructing silk-lined burrows with camouflaged trapdoor lids made of soil, vegetation, and silk. The species was among 33 new Aptostichus species described from the American Southwest in a major taxonomic revision.
Promyrmekiaphila
Promyrmekiaphila is a genus of mygalomorph trapdoor spiders endemic to California. First described by Schenkel in 1950, the genus currently contains three species: P. clathrata, P. winnemem, and P. korematsui. These spiders construct silk-lined burrows with wafer-like trapdoor lids and exhibit strong geographic population structuring with deep genetic divergence, particularly within P. clathrata. The genus is notable for morphological conservation despite considerable genetic differentiation, representing a cryptic species complex.