Cyclocosmia


Cyclocosmia is a genus of mygalomorph trapdoor spiders in the family Halonoproctidae, first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. Originally placed with the Ctenizidae, when the family split in 2018, this genus was placed with the Halonoproctidae as the type genus. The name is derived from the Greek "kyklos", meaning "circle", and "kosmeo", meaning "to adorn".

Description

These are trapdoor spiders, whose species are distinguished from each other by the pattern of the abdominal disk, the number of hairs on its seam, and the shape of the spermathecae. They have abdomens that are abruptly truncated, ending in a hardened disc that is strengthened by a system of ribs and grooves. They use this to clog the entrance of their burrows when threatened, a phenomenon called phragmosis. The disks have strong spines around the edge, and they each have four spinnerets just anterior to it. The posterior, retractable spinnerets are particularly large.
C. ricketti females are long, with a disk diameter of. Their burrows are deep, and only the bottom portion of the burrow is silk lined.

Species

, it contains thirteen species: