Chinese Hourglass Trap Door Spider, Cyclocosmia Ricketti
Current in stock specimens are 1 to 1.5"
Max Size 2.5"
This spider is a fossorial (burrowing) species that constructs deep, silk-lined burrows with a well-camouflaged trapdoor made of silk, soil, and plant debris. The trapdoor is flush with the forest floor, making it nearly invisible to both predators and prey.
The most fascinating feature of Cyclocosmia ricketti is its heavily sclerotized (hardened), flat, disc-like abdomen that resembles an hourglass or coin. This abdominal disc is grooved and textured with radial ridges, giving it a mechanical, armored appearance. When threatened or disturbed, the spider retreats into its burrow and plugs the tunnel with its abdominal disc, effectively sealing it off from predators—a defense behavior known as phragmosis.
Cyclocosmia ricketti is nocturnal and highly secretive. It remains inside its burrow during the day and emerges to the edge of the trapdoor at night, sensing vibrations through the silk-lined tunnel. It captures prey—typically small invertebrates like ants, beetles, and crickets—by ambush, lunging out when prey passes nearby.
The species is extremely sedentary, spending the majority of its life within the same burrow unless forced to relocate due to flooding, damage, or unsuitable conditions.
