Key to Families

[Key to Solifugae Families reproduced with Permission from Mark S. Harvey from Harvey MS. 2003. Catalogue of the Smaller Arachnid Orders of the World: Amblypygi, Uropygi, Schizomida, Palpigradi, Ricinulei and Solifugae. Csiro Publishing, Australia.]


  1. Anus located ventrally; legs II-IV with 1 tarsal segment............................................................Rhagodidae
    Anus located terminally; legs II and III with 1-4 tarsal segments; leg IV with 1-7 tarsal segments............2
  2. Leg IV with tarsal claws; legs cursorial.......................................................................................................3
    Leg IV without tarsal claws; legs strongly fossorial...............................................................Hexisopodidae
  3. Tarsal claws of legs II-IV furnished with micro-setae; legs II and III with 2 tarsal segments; leg IV with 3 tarsal segments..........................................................................................................................Galeodidae
    Tarsal claws of legs II-IV smooth; tarsal segmentation otherwise..............................................................4
  4. Legs II and III with 1 or 2 tarsal segments; leg IV with 1-4 tarsal segments...............................................5
    Legs II and III with 4 tarsal segments; leg IV with 6-7 tarsal segments.......................................Solpugidae
  5. Leg I with pretarsus and two claws; male flagellum paraxially movable....................................Ceromidae
    Leg I without pretarsus, and with either one claw or claws absent; male flagellum paraxially movable, not paraxially movable, or immovable.......................................................................................................6
  6. Leg I with two claws...................................................................................................................................7
    Leg I with one claw or claws absent...........................................................................................................8
  7. Abdominal sternite IV with ctenidiae........................................................................................Karschiidae
    Abdominal sternite IV without ctenidiae....................................................................................Gylippidae
  8. Legs II and III with a dorsal, spine-like seta above claws; male flagellar setae difficult to distinguish from surrounding setae..................................................................................................................Eremobatidae
    Legs II and III with a dorsal, spine-like seta above claws; male flagellum or flagellar setae easily distinguished from surrounding setae........................................................................................................9
  9. Male flagellum composed of one or more obviously modified slightly movable setae with recognizable alveoli; genital opercula not distinctly distinguished from other abdominal sternites; female and immatures usually with more than four teeth on movable finger, but sometimes with no teeth..................................................................................................................................Melanoblossidae
    Male flagellum composed of membranous structures that are not obviously modified setae with recognizable alveoli; female genital opercula differentiated from other abdominal sternites; female and immatures with three or four teeth on movable finger...........................................................................10
  10. Male flagellum paraxially movable; leg I with one claw or claws absent.....................................Daesiidae
    Male flagellum immovable; leg I without claws.......................................................................................11
  11. Pedipalps with pairs of lateroventral spines.......................................................................Ammotrechidae
    Pedipalps without pairs of lateroventral spines....................................................................Mummuciidae

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