Subfamily Scopocirinae Simon, 1901

Scopocireae Simon, 1901: 442, 1048 (Type genus: Scopocira Simon, 1900).

Monophyly: The two genera included here are only tentatively associated, as the DNA data for Gypogyna are weak, as are the morphological synapomorphies linking it with Scopocira . Males of both Scopocira and Gypogyna have apophyses on the distal prolateral portion of the chelicerae, but these are closer to the promarginal teeth, rather than on a more dorsal (external) position on the chelicerae. It is not clear whether these structures could be homologous to the amycine (plesiomorphic) mastidia or independently evolved projections. There is a dorsally placed RTA that appears to engage against a lobe of the cymbium, possibly to serve as a lock during copulation (see Costa & Ruiz 2014: figs 80–107). Both genera also share a feature unusual among spiders: males are typically larger than females. However, this is also seen, for example, in some gophoines.

Although Gypogyna is only tentatively placed with Scopocira, it can be placed with more confidence in the larger clade of node 2 (Fig. 37) by molecular data, as well as by the form of the spermathecae and copulatory ducts, and the terminal embolus loop over the cymbium.