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Zygiellinae

This sub family of live-leaf curling orb weavers is one of those troublesome ones, its spiders having been moved back and forth from Araneidae to Tetragnathidae. It is currently in the Araneidae but the story may not be over yet. Recent work by Matjaž Gregoric, Ingi Agnarsson, Todd Blackledge and Matjaž Kuntner found Phonognatha, Deliochus and Dolicognatha to be in Zygiellinae along with Zygiella.

Deliochus pulcher melanius Rainbow, 1916 Beautiful Dark Deliochus
Named by Rainbow in 1916 from Queensland specimens, this spider is very likely found elsewhere, The adult below, body length about 12mm was seen in... 

Diochelus

Deliochus pulcher Rainbow 1916 Beautiful Deliochus
This spider was in a live leaf retreat about 1.5m up shrubs on the northern side of the junction of Fish and Enoggera Creeks, The Gap, Brisbane. Body... 

Spider

Deliochus zelivira Keyserling, 1887 Deliochus
Deliochus zelivira, probably the most common of the Deliochus spp., found throughout Australia, appears to have been moved to Tetragnathidae then back to Araneidae. The female can grow to 11 mm, the male 5 mm. They construct a retreat of eucalypt leaves. This male was wandering loose... 

Phonognatha graeffei Leaf Curling Spider

Phonognatha graeffei (Keyserling, 1865) Leaf Curling Spider
Recently in the Tetragnathidae, this spider has been moved back into the Araneidae by Kuntner et al 2008 (reported in Platnick 9.5). This spider is usually recognised its curled dry leaf hanging in an untidy web, sometimes with its legs showing. The leaf hangs about 1-2m from the ground in... 

 


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