Mygalomorphae
Tarantulas, trapdoor spiders & kin
Jason Bond and Marshal Hedin


This tree diagram shows the relationships between several groups of organisms.
The root of the current tree connects the organisms featured in this tree to their containing group and the rest of the Tree of Life. The basal branching point in the tree represents the ancestor of the other groups in the tree. This ancestor diversified over time into several descendent subgroups, which are represented as internal nodes and terminal taxa to the right.

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close boxIntroduction
A clade of early-diverging spiders that currently includes 15 families, 300 genera, and about 2,500 described species.References
Coddington, J. A. and H. W. Levi. 1991. Systematics and evolution of spiders (Araneae). Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 22:565-592.
Hedin, M and J. E. Bond. Molecular phylogenetics of the spider infraorder Mygalomorphae using nuclear rRNA genes (18S and 28S): Conflict and agreement with the current system of classification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 41, 454-471.
Miller, J. A. and F. A. Coyle. 1996. Cladistic analysis of the Atypoides plus Antrodiaetus lineage of mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Antrodiaetidae). Journal of Arachnology 24:201-213.
Title Illustrations

Scientific Name | Psalmopoeus irminia |
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Source | Psalmopoeus irminia - Venezuelan Suntiger |
Source Collection | Flickr |
ToL Image Use |
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Copyright | © 2003 B Smith |
Scientific Name | Bothriocyrtum californicum |
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Location | San Diego, CA |
Specimen Condition | Live Specimen |
Identified By | Marshal Hedin |
Behavior | prey capture from trapdoor |
Sex | Female |
ToL Image Use |
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Copyright |
© Marshal Hedin
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About This Page
Jason Bond
East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
Marshal Hedin
San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA
Correspondence regarding this page should be directed to Jason Bond at and Marshal Hedin at
Page copyright © 1995 Jason Bond and Marshal Hedin
Page: Tree of Life
Mygalomorphae. Tarantulas, trapdoor spiders & kin.
Authored by
Jason Bond and Marshal Hedin.
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- Content changed 12 September 2008
Citing this page:
Bond, Jason and Hedin, Marshal. 2008. Mygalomorphae. Tarantulas, trapdoor spiders & kin. Version 12 September 2008 (under construction). http://tolweb.org/Mygalomorphae/2641/2008.09.12 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/