A New Family of Spiders of the Sub-order Hypochilomorphae 
R. R. Forster 1 
The sub-order Hypochilomorphae was es- 
tablished by Petrunkevitch in 1933 to include 
those spiders with diaxial chelicerae which 
also possessed four lung books. Three species 
are known viz. Hypochilus thorelli Marx, from 
North America, Ectatosticta davidi Simon, from 
Tibet, and Ectatosticta troglodytes (Higg. and 
Pet.), from Tasmania, which are all included 
in the family Hypochilidae. The establish- 
ment of this sub-order has not met with 
general agreement among present-day arach- 
nologists, many of whom still group these 
spiders with the two-lunged cribellate spiders. 
The occurrence of the two species recorded 
in the present paper, which do not possess a 
cribellum seems to strengthen Petrunkevitch’s 
case for the separation of these spiders into 
a separate sub-order. 
The three previously known species share 
many characters in common. They are long- 
legged, sedentary spiders which construct ex- 
tensive webs. They possess relatively small, 
vertical chelicerae and the poison glands do 
not extend into the cephalo thorax. The gen- 
ital bulb of the male is terminal, the heart is 
supplied with four pairs of ostia and they all 
possess a cribellum. 
The two species described below although 
they possess diaxial chelicerae, two pairs of 
lung books and four pairs of ostia, differ 
considerably in other characters from pre- 
viously known species. In general appearance 
and habit they resemble lycosid spiders. They 
are vagrant in habit, hunting their prey on the 
1 Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, New Zealand. 
Manuscript received September 7, 1954. 
forest floor. They do not appear to make any 
webs or to use silk in any way to snare their 
food. The chelicerae are strong and directed 
forward and are provided with large poison 
glands which extend well into the cephalo- 
thorax. The genital bulb of the male is in- 
serted near the middle of the ventral surface 
of the tarsus of the pedipalp and there is no 
cribellum present. 
In view of the striking differences shown 
by these two species, particularly the absence 
of a cribellum, I have considered it advisable 
to establish a new family for their reception. 
Sub-order HYPOCHILOMORPHAE 
Petrunkevitch, 1933 
Family GRADUNGULIDAE fam. nov. 
Ecribellate spiders with non-segmented ab- 
domen. Two pairs of lung books. Diaxial 
chelicerae, lacking lateral condyles, with en- 
docephalic poison glands. Maxillary lobes 
well developed, multicellular maxillary glands 
with ducts opening from a sieve. Six spin- 
nerets with colulus. Three tarsal claws. Tarsus 
of female pedipalp with strong claw, genital 
bulb of male pedipalp not terminal. Eight 
eyes in two rows. 
Genus GradungULA gen. nov. 
Cephalothorax low, with eight eyes in two 
rows, A.M.E. smallest. Chelicerae strong, di- 
rected forward, promargin with teeth, retro- 
margin smooth. Maxillary lobes without 
serrula. Legs 4, 1, 2, 3, tarsal claws of legs 1 
and 2 greatly modified; proclaw much longer 
277 
