Long-spinnered or two-tailed spiders

The Hersiliidae is a family of spiders noted for their elongated posterior lateral spinnerets which can be as long as the abdomen in long-spinnered bark spiders and less in rock living species. Hersiliids are small to medium (4.5-12.5mm body length) dorso-ventrally flattened spiders, especially the arboreal genera. They are cryptically coloured in variegated shades of cream, orange, green, brown, grey and black, features they share with the family Selenopidae. Both families are quick and difficult to capture as they disappear into the narrowest of crevices.
As viewed from above, the carapace is oval with the 8 eyes situated in two recurved rows, on a raised hump or tubercle. The anterior median eyes are largest. The oval abdomen is wider posteriorly with the posterior lateral spinnerets extending out parallel to each other. The inner edge of these spinnerets is lined with silk-producing tubules (spine-like spigots) as opposed to the distally placed spigots of most spiders. The rupicolus genera have shorter spinnerets that are often not seen as they are curled up against the abdomen and the legs are shorter.
Hersilia