Curtain-web spider A large curtain-web spider (Diplura species) on its web in Brazil. (more) curtain-web spider arachnid Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Print print Print Please select which sections you would like to print: Table Of Contents Cite verifiedCite While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Select Citation Style MLA APA Chicago Manual of Style Copy Citation Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/animal/curtain-web-spider Feedback External Websites Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

　　External Websites Australian Museum - Funnel-web Spiders Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: Dipluridae, diplurid funnel-web mygalomorph, funnel-web spider, funnel-web tarantula(Show More) Written by Melissa Petruzzello Melissa Petruzzello is Assistant Managing Editor and covers a range of content including plants, algae, and fungi; insects and spiders; and renewable energy and environmental engineering. She also handles... Melissa Petruzzello Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Nov. 12, 2025 •History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " What are curtain-web spiders known for? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Curtain-web spiders are known for their messy funnel-shaped webs, which open wide at the mouth of the tube where the spider waits for prey. The webs are frequently constructed as the opening to a burrow that utilizes an existing crevice or hollow." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How do curtain-web spiders capture their prey? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "Curtain-web spiders sit in the narrow funnel of their web and rush out to capture insect prey when it contacts the web." } } , { "@type" : "Question", "name" : " How many curtain-web spiders are there? ", "acceptedAnswer" : { "@type" : "Answer", "text" : "There are about 150 species of curtain-web spiders in eight genera." } } ] } Top Questions What are curtain-web spiders known for? Curtain-web spiders are known for their messy funnel-shaped webs, which open wide at the mouth of the tube where the spider waits for prey. The webs are frequently constructed as the opening to a burrow that utilizes an existing crevice or hollow.

　　How do curtain-web spiders capture their prey? Curtain-web spiders sit in the narrow funnel of their web and rush out to capture insect prey when it contacts the web.

　　How many curtain-web spiders are there? There are about 150 species of curtain-web spiders in eight genera.

　　curtain-web spider, (family Dipluridae), any member of a family of more than 150 species of mostly tropical spiders that are named for the messy funnel-shaped webs. These webs open wide at the mouth of the tube, and the nocturnal spider sits in the narrow funnel waiting for prey to contact the web. When this happens, the spider rushes out and captures the insect prey at the funnel’s mouth. Many species construct the web as the entrance to a burrow that makes use of an existing crevice or hollow, and some are cave-dwelling. Although the spiders are generally not aggressive, some can deliver a painful bite. The venom of most species is not considered medically significant to humans. The South American Trechona venosa has potent venom, but no human envenomation cases have been reported.

　　TaxonomyKingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass: ArachnidaOrder: AraneaeInfraorder: MygalomorphaeFamily: Dipluridae See also list of spiders.

　　Curtain-web spiders are mostly small- to medium-sized and are typically black, brown, or reddish in color. As spiders, they have a body formed of a fused head and thorax, known as a cephalothorax, and an abdomen. Their eight legs attach to the hard and often glossy cephalothorax and typically have sensory hairs that can pick up vibrations from approaching animals. The abdomen is tipped with four or six spinnerets, one pair of which is often notably long, that produce the silk used for web building.

　　Curtain-web spiders are mygalomorphs (infraorder Mygalomorphae) and thus have jaws that move forward and down (rather than sideways and together, which is characteristic of members of the infraorder Araneomorphae). They also have two other pairs of appendages near the mouth that aid in feeding: chelicerae and pedipalps. The more central chelicerae contain the venomous fangs, whereas the more lateral, leglike pedipalps are primarily used as feelers and to manipulate food. Pedipalps are also used by the males for reproduction. The arachnids also have two pairs of book lungs for respiration.

　　Britannica Quiz Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz There are eight genera of curtain-web spiders, the largest of which are Diplura, Linothele, and Masteria (the only Australian species in the family is M. toddae). The genera Harmonicon and Trechona have five and nine species, respectively. In 2024 a new genus of burrowing curtain-web spiders, Harpathele, was described in southeastern Brazil. Similarly, the genus Siremata contains three Brazilian species that were named in 2018, and Striamea, which also comprises three species, gained a new member in 2025.

　　The family has undergone a number of taxonomic revisions because of phylogenetic evidence. Perhaps the most notable revision is the placement of the venomous Australian funnel-web spiders (Atrax and Hadronyche) in their own family, Atracidae. Similarly, the former Dipluridae genera Brachythele, Microhexura, and Troglodiplura are now in other families, and the spiny curtain-web spiders were raised to family rank (Euagridae) in 2020.

　　Also called: funnel-web tarantula (Show more) Curtain-web spiders are unrelated to funnel weavers of the family Agelenidae.

　　Melissa Petruzzello