Barychelidae

Barychelidae is a spider family with about 300 species in 42 genera. Its members are known as brushed trapdoor spiders.

Most spiders in this family build trapdoor burrows. There are some species that avoid flooding by plugging their nests. Others can avoid drowning by trapping air bubbles within the hairs covering their bodies. Some members of this group have a rake on the front surface of their chelicerae used for compacting burrow walls.

The about 10 mm long Idioctis builds its about 5 cm deep burrow just below high tide level, and seals it with a thin trapdoor. The about 20 mm long Sipalolasma builds its burrow in rotted wood, with a hinged trapdoor at each end of the burrow.

Like the Theraphosidae (tarantulas), they can run up glass. Some species can stridulate. However, unlike stridulation in the theraphosid Selenocosmiinae, barychelid stridulation, based as it is on very weak lyra, is not audible to humans.

Distribution

Barychelids are found in Australia, New Caledonia, South America, Africa, Madagascar, India, New Guinea, and Pacific islands.