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''Progradungula otwayensis'', commonly known as the odd-clawed spider, is a species of cribellate spider endemic to the Great Otway National Park of Victoria, Australia. It is one of only two species in the gradungulid genus ''Progradungula''. Odd-clawed spiders are medium-sized to large spiders, with an approximate body length of and a leg span of . They are lightly pigmented, from yellowish brown to light mauvish gray, with three chevron markings on the rear upper part of their abdomen. Like other gradungulids, their legs are tipped with three claws. These claws are particularly well-developed on the first and second leg pairs and are used for latching unto prey. They are ambush predators, building characteristic ladder-shaped snares close to the ground. They stand head-down on these webs waiting for prey which they then scoop up into these webs to trap them. ==Taxonomy== Odd-clawed spiders were first described by the Australian arachnologist Graham A. Milledge in 1997. They are named after the Great Otway National Park from whence the type specimens were recovered from. Milledge's specimens comprised only one adult male and several juveniles. The female was unknown until 2013 when the arachnologists Peter Michalik, Luis Piacentini, Elisabeth Lipke, and Martin J. Ramírez described an adult female for the first time.〔 ''Progradungula otwayensis'' is one of only two species classified under the genus ''Progradungula''. The other species being the very similar Carrai cave spider (''Progradungula carraiensis''). They can be distinguished from the latter by the presence of a single jutting structure (process) on the syringe-like copulatory organ (embolus) of the bulb on the male pedipalps, in contrast to two in Carrai cave spiders. Female odd-clawed spiders also have eight sperm receptacles (spermathecae) on their genitals (epigyne), in contrast to six in the Carrai cave spiders.〔 ''Progradungula otwayensis'' belongs to the family Gradungulidae, superfamily Austrochiloidea, and suborder Araneomorphae.〔〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Progradungula otwayensis」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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