Turret Spider - Tumblr Posts

Turret spider burrows

These unique spiders, found only in California, build small towers out of soil, plant matter, and silk. Each turret houses one spider, and the structure serves to both protect the spider and to help it detect vibrations from prey. Turret spiders are nocturnal, so it's rare to actually see one.

Their closest relatives are tarantulas and trapdoor spiders, which together form the mygalomorphs, a relatively "primitive" lineage of spiders.

Atypoides riversi, Santa Cruz Mountains, California