Sperchontidae Thor, 1900

Diagnosis: Dorsal plate mostly large, in unengorged specimens covering more than half the length of the idiosoma, Dp bearing 4 pairs of setae; lateral eyes on each side borne on a common eye plate; coxal plates I to III separate, plate III often larger than the others; plates I­III with 3 or 4 pairs of coxal setae (seta C3 on CX­II present or absent); chelicerae small, basal segments separated from each other; chela dentate; palpal segment 4 and 5 short, P5 thumb­like; some setae on palpal segments very large; legs I to III fivesegmented and each with three heavy claws; fusion line of former basifemur and telofemur present on legs I to III; leg segments 5 broad distally; eupathidium present on distal leg segment of legs I, II and III; solenidia on leg segments 3 to 5 of legs I and II very thin and placed at the distal end of the segment.

Remarks: The available descriptions of larval Sperchontidae do not allow genera diagnoses within the family. The formerly proposed differences between the genera Sperchonopsis and Sperchon (see Prasad & Cook 1972; Smith 1982) relating to characters of the chetotaxy and patterns of the Dp is no longer valid after the description of Sperchonopsis verrucosa (Protz, 1896) by Martin (2000). For details, see the discussion therein.