Mygale \Myg"a*le\, prop. n. [L., a field mouse, Gr. ?.] (Zool.)
A genus of very large hairy spiders of the family
{Ctenizidae}, having four lungs and only four spinnerets.
They do not spin webs, but usually construct tubes in the
earth, which are often furnished with a trapdoor. The South
American bird spider ({Mygale avicularia}), and the crab
spider, or matoutou ({Mygale cancerides}) are among the
largest species. They are also called {trapdoor spiders}.
Some of the species are erroneously called tarantulas, as the
Texas tarantula ({Mygale Hentzii}).
[1913 Webster +PJC]