Large venom glands in obscure spider taxon Cryptothele contradict hypothesis for the evolution of venom glands in spiders

This poster, presented at the BeNeLux Zoology annual meeting in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, shows the preliminary results of a project aimed at understanding the evolution of venom glands in zodariid spiders. These spiders show a wide array of higly specialized traits, from covering their bodies with mud for camouflage to dietary specialization including the predation of ants and termites. This offers a great model for understanding the anatomical evolution of their venom glands and their potential adaptation to different ecological niches.