The family Cyrtaucheniidae is widely distributed throughout North, Central and South America, Australia and Africa where it is represented by 18 genera and about 110 species. In Southern Africa 2 genera and 35 species are known.

Common names
Leaf litter trap-door spiders (Homostola); African wafer-lid trapdoor spiders (Ancylotrypa).

Lifestyle
Wanderers (ground dwellers); construct a silk-lined burrow with a wafer-type trapdoor; abundance: rare.

Body size
9-32 mm (males slightly smaller and more slender).

Genera
Ancylotrypa (30 spp.); Homostola (5 spp.).