| The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07. |
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| trap-door spider |
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| spider of the same family as the native American tarantula. Trap-door spiders dig burrows, which they line with silk and protect by constructing one or two circular, hinged trap doors. The spiders emerge through the snug-fitting camouflaged doors to search for prey. Usually the burrow entrance has a door, the outer surface of which is camouflaged to blend in with the surrounding terrain. If a second door is present, it is usually below the entrance door. Trap-door spiders are classified in the phylum Arthropoda, class Arachnida, order Araneae, family Ctenizidae. |
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| | | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2007 Columbia University Press. |
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