Animal Species:Trapdoor Spiders Most trapdoor spiders are
misleadingly named, as not all species make a door for their
burrows. These highly camouflaged entrances are almost
undetectable, unless the door is open. Trapdoor spiders have
short, blunt spinnerets. Males usually have a small double spur
halfway along their first leg. Females are larger than males,
and tend to be harder to identify to species level. These
spiders tend to be quite timid, although the male may rear up if
threatened. The common name covers several families of spiders,
including the Idiopidae, Actinopodidae, Ctenizidae, Migidae and
Cyrtaucheniidae. The Brown Trapdoor (Misgolas sp) and the
Spotted Trapdoor (Aganippe sp) Spiders belong to the family
Idiopidae. They include a wide variety of types, many of which
are adapted to drier habitats. Brown Trapdoor Spiders are dull
brown spiders with a cover of paler gold hairs on carapace
("dusty appearance"), which is usually weakly arched in side
profile. There are often pale bars across the ab