noun
trapdoor spider
Refers to spiders of the families Ctenizidae and Antrodiaetidae, known for building burrows with a hinged lid. In everyday Japanese, the katakana form トタテグモ is standard.
トタテグモは地面に穴を掘り、蓋を作って隠れる。
Trapdoor spiders dig a hole in the ground, make a lid, and hide inside.
この地域ではトタテグモの巣がよく見つかる。
Nests of trapdoor spiders are often found in this area.
The name トタテグモ (戸立て蜘蛛) literally means 'door-standing spider', referring to the burrow's trapdoor. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji spellings 戸閉蜘蛛 and 戸立蜘蛛 are ateji based on this meaning.