The Araneae are an order of the arthropod class Arachnida with about 40,000 described species, although there are probably many species that have escaped the human eye to this day, and lots of specimen stored in collections waiting to be described and classified. It is estimated that only one third to one fifth of existing species have been described. Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - Trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - Spiders, Scorpions, etc. ... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Orders Acarina Amblypygi Araneae Opiliones Palpigradi Pseudoscorpionida Ricinulei Schizomida Scorpiones Solifugae Uropygi The arachnids, Arachnida, are a class of invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. ...

Current arachnid taxonomy divides spiders (Order Araneae) into three suborders with about 38 superfamilies, and 111 families. Seven of the 111 families are incertae sedis, meaning that their placement into superfamilies is not agreed upon; several other families are not placed in any superfamily. Arachnology is the scientific study of spiders and related organisms such as scorpions, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, altogether called arachnids. ... Taxonomy, sometimes alpha taxonomy, is the science of finding, describing and naming organisms, thus giving rise to taxa. ... Suborders Araneomorphae Mesothelae Mygalomorphae See the taxonomy section for families Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that produce silk, and have two tagma, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. ... Scientific classification or biological classification refers to how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... ... In biology, a superfamily is a taxonomic grade intermediate between suborder and family. ...

Due to constant research, with new species being discovered literally every month and others being recognized as synonyms, the number of species in the families is bound to change and can never reflect the present status with total accuracy. Nevertheless, the species numbers given here are useful as a guideline. In zoological nomenclature, synonyms are different scientific names that pertain to the same taxon, for example two names for the same species. ...

See a table of Araneae families at the end of the article with some genera and species listed for each family (only identified species are included). See genus (mathematics) for the use of the term in mathematics. ... In biology, a species is a kind of organism. ...

Suborder Mesothelae

Digitally enhanced image of a Sphodros rufipes that shows the nearly perfectly vertical orientation of the chelicerae, a prime characteristic of the Mygalomorphae.

These spiders resemble the Solifugae ("wind scorpions" or "sun scorpions") in having segmented plates on their abdomens that create the appearance of the segmented abdomens of these other arachnids. They are both few in number and also limited in geographical range. The Liphistiidae are the most primitive living spiders, placed in their own suborder, called the Mesothelae. ... Families See text The order Solifugae is a group of arachnids, containing around 900 species. ...

• Arthrolycosidae (primitive spiders)
• Arthromygalidae (primitive spiders)
• Liphistiidae (primitive burrowing spiders)

Arthrolycosidae is a family of primitive spiders that bear some resemblance to the wolf spiders. ... The Arthromygalidae are primitive spiders that bear some resemblance to the tarantulas. ... The Liphistiidae are the most primitive living spiders, placed in their own suborder, called the Mesothelae. ...

Suborder Opisthothelae

This suborder contains the spiders that have no plates on their abdomens. It can be somewhat difficult on casual inspection to determine whether the chelicerae of members are of the sort that would put them into the infraorder of the mygalomorphs or the infraorder of the Araneomorphs. The spiders that are called "tarantulas" in English are so large and hairy that inspection of their chelicerae is hardly necessary to categorize one of them as a Mygalomorph. Other, smaller, members of this suborder, however, look little different from the Araneomorphs. (See the picture of the Sphodros rufipes below.) Many Araneomorphs are immediately identifiable as such since they are found on webs designed for the capture of prey or exhibit other habitat choices that eliminate the possibility that they could by Mygalomorphs.

Infraorder Mygalomorphae

Digitally modified photograph showing "chopsticks" orientation of the chelicerae of the Araneomorphae.

Spiders in this infraorder are characterized by the vertical orientation of their chelicerae and the possession of four book lungs. Families Antrodiaetidae (folding trapdoor spider) Atypidae (atypical tarantula) Ctenizidae (trapdoor spider) Cyrtaucheniidae (wafer trapdoor spider) Dipluridae (funnel-web tarantula) Hexathelidae (venomous funnel-web tarantula) Mecicobothriidae (dwarf tarantulas) Theraphosidae (tarantula) The Mygalomorphae, (also called the Orthognatha), are an infraorder of spiders. ...

Infraorder Araneomorphae

Most, if not all, of the spiders one encounters in everyday life belong to this infraorder. It includes the spiders that weave their beautiful orb webs in the garden, the more chaotic-looking webs of the cobweb spiders the frequent window frames and the corners of rooms, the crab spiders that lurk waiting for nectar- and pollen-gathering insects on flowers, the jumping spiders that patrol outside walls, etc. They are characterized by having chelicerae whole tips approach each other as they bite, and (usually) having one pair of book lungs. The Araneomorphae, previously called the Labidognatha, are a suborder of spiders. ...

Some important spider families are :-

• Pholcidae (daddy long-legs spiders)

These spiders are frequently seen in cellars. When light contact disturbs their web their characteristic response is to set the entire web mooving the way a person would jump up and down on a trampoline. It is unclear why they cause their webs to vibrate in this way; moving their webs back and forward may increase the possibility that insects flying close by may be ensnared. Diversity 80 genera, 959 species Genera Pholcus Smeringopus Spermaphora many others The Daddy long-legs spider, also called the Granddaddy long-legs spider, cellar spider, vibrating spider, or house spider, is a true spider and not a harvestman. ...

• Plectreuridae (plectreurid spiders)

Megaphobema robusta, one of the many kinds of spiders called "Tarantulas"

• Salticidae (jumping spiders)

The family of Araneae commonly called jumping spiders have a characteristic cephalothorax shapes, as shown in the diagram below. They have eight eyes, two of the very prominent, and excellent vision. Their maximum size is perhaps 13/16 inch (20 mm), but many species are much smaller than that. The largest North American species such as Phidippus regius, P. octopunctatis, etc., are so heavy bodied that they cannot jump far. The smaller species of jumping spider can jump many times their own body length. They hunt by first getting within range of a prey animal such as a fly, securing a silken "climbing rope" to their current perch, and then jumping onto their prey and biting it. Many seem to take unerring aim at the neck of their prey. Should they jump from one twig to another in an attempt to capture prey and miss or get knocked off the second twig by their struggling prey then they are protected from falling by their silken lifeline. At night these spiders usually retreat to a silken "puptent" that they construct for their own protection and, when needed, as a place to deposit their eggs. They are frequently seen in sunlit areas on walls, tree trunks, and other such vertical surfaces. They are perhaps the only family of spiders who will take cognizance of a human in their general area and then turn their bodies and elevate their cephalothoraxes to keep the human under observation. If approached closely, e.g., with the lens of a camera, some of them may choose to jump onto the nearby object to explore it. This behavior may be alarming but it never seems to be aggressive since these spiders are unwilling to attack prey that are very much larger than they are. Plectreurid spiders (family Plectreuridae) belong to a small family confined to the North American deserts and the island of Cuba. ... Genera See List of Salticidae genera The jumping spiders (family Salticidae) contains more than 500 genera and over 5,000 species, making it the largest family of spiders with about 13% of all species. ...

"Squared-off" cephalothorax of the jumping spiders.

Eye pattern of the jumping spiders.

Table of Families

Families listed in boldface contain one or more species which are known to be dangerous to humans.

Sources:

• The World Spider Catalog, Version 7.0 (families, species count)
• Synopsis of the described Araneae of the World (suborders)

The Liphistiidae are the most primitive living spiders, placed in their own suborder, called the Mesothelae. ... The Liphistiidae are the most primitive living spiders, placed in their own suborder, called the Mesothelae. ... Binomial name Heptalhela kimurai Kishida, 1923 The kimura-gumo (Heptathela kimurai) is a spider, named after Kimura Arika, who discovered it in 1920. ... Families Antrodiaetidae (folding trapdoor spider) Atypidae (atypical tarantula) Ctenizidae (trapdoor spider) Cyrtaucheniidae (wafer trapdoor spider) Dipluridae (funnel-web tarantula) Hexathelidae (venomous funnel-web tarantula) Mecicobothriidae (dwarf tarantulas) Theraphosidae (tarantula) The Mygalomorphae, (also called the Orthognatha), are an infraorder of spiders. ... Genera Atrax Hadronyche The venomous funnel-web tarantulas (family Hexathelidae) are notorious for the inclusion of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus). ... Binomial name Atrax robustus The Sydney funnel-web spider, also called a funnel-web tarantula, (Atrax robustus) is a strong candidate for the most dangerous spider in the whole world. ... Genera See text Funnel-web tarantulas (family Dipluridae) resemble other mygalomorphs in having downward stabbing fangs and two pairs of booklungs. ... Genera Subfamily Acanthopelminae Acanthopelma Subfamily Aviculariinae Avicularia Subfamily Eumenophorinae Citharischius Phoneyusa Subfamily Harpactirinae Pterinochilus Subfamily Ischnocolinae Subfamily Ornithoctoninae Cyriopagopus Haplopelma Subfamily Poecilotheriinae Poecilotheria Subfamily Selenocosmiinae Chilobrachys Psalmopoeus Subfamily Selenogyrinae Subfamily Stromatopelminae Heteroscodra Subfamily Theraphosinae Acanthoscurria Aphonopelma Brachypelma Chromatopelma Eupalaestrus Grammostola Lasiodora Megaphobema Nhandu Theraphosa Subfamily Thrigmopoeinae Tarantulas are spiders belonging... Binomial name Theraphosa blondi Latreille, 1804 The Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) is a tarantula, and is arguably the largest spider in the world. ... Families See Taxonomy section Spiders are invertebrate animals that produce silk, have eight legs and no wings. ... Diversity 3 genera, 32 species Genera see text The folding trapdoor spiders (Antrodiaetidae) are a small spider family with about 30 species in three genera. ... Genera See text The wafer trapdoor spiders (family Cyrtaucheniidae) are a widespread family of spider that lacks the thorn-like spines on tarsi and metatarsi I and II (the two outermost leg segments) found in true trapdoor spiders (Ctenizidae). ... Diversity 22 genera, 273 species Genera see text Members of the spider family Idiopidae (superfamily Idiopoidea) have a large body that often looks rather like a tarantula. ... This page lists all described species of the spider family Idiopidae as of June 20, 2006. ... Genera Bothriocyrtum Cyclocosmia Ummidia Trapdoor spiders (family Ctenizidae) are medium-sized mygalomorph spiders that construct burrows with a cork-like trapdoor made of soil, vegetation and silk. ... Diversity 3 genera, 41 species Genera Actinopus Missulena Plesiolena The spider family Actinopodidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders found in Australia, South America, and Central America. ... The Araneomorphae, previously called the Labidognatha, are a suborder of spiders. ... Genera Hypochilus Ectatosticta The Lampshade spiders of the family Hypochilidae are among the most primitive of araneomorph spiders. ... Genera Afrofilistata Andoharano Filistata Filistatinella Filistatoides Kukulcania Lihuelistata Microfilistata Misionella Pikelinia Pritha Sahastata Tricalamus Wandella Yardiella Zaitunia The crevice weaver spiders (family Filistatidae) contain primitive cribellate, haplogyne, weavers of funnel or tube webs. ... Southern house spiders (Filistada hibernalis, ) are large North American spiders which exhibit strong sexual dimorphism. ... Genera Scytodes Spitting spiders (family Scytodidae) are spiders of the genus Scytodes and their relatives. ... Sicariidae are members of a genus of spiders found in arid portions of South America and southern Africa. ... A brown recluse spider The brown recluse spider is a venomous spider of the family Sicariidae and the genus and species Loxosceles reclusa. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Binomial name Neoleptoneta myopica (Gertsch, 1974) The Tooth cave spider (Neoleptoneta myopica) is a 1/16 inch (1. ... Diversity 3 families, 1004 species Families Diguetidae Pholcidae Plectreuridae The Pholcoidea are a superfamily of araneomorph spiders. ... Genera Diguetia The coneweb spiders of the family Diguetidae are six-eyed haplogyne (lacking hardened female genitalia, or epigyne) spiders that live in tangled space webs. ... The Daddy long-legs spider, also called the cellar spider or house spider, is a true spider and not a harvestman. ... This page lists all described species of the spider family Pholcidae as of June 20, 2006. ... Binomial name Pholcus phalangioides Fuesslin, 1775 The Daddy-Long-Legs Spider (Pholcus phalangioides) is a spider of the family Pholcidae. ... Genera Kibramoa Plectreurys Plectreurid spiders (family Plectreuridae) belong to a small family confined to the North American deserts and the island of Cuba. ... Genera Dysdera Orthonops Notnops Taintnops Tisentnops The caponiid spiders (family Caponiidae) include several genera of two eyed spiders, such as the North American genus Orthonops. ... Genera Cryptoparachtes Dasumia Dysdera Dysderocrates Folkia Harpactea Harpactocrates Holissus Hygrocrates Kaemis Mesostalita Minotauria Parachtes Parastalita Rhode Rhodera Sardostalita Speleoharpactea Stalagtia Stalita Stalitella Stalitochara Tedia The woodlouse hunters, sowbug-eating spiders or cell spiders, family Dysderidae, are araneomorph spiders found primarily in Eurasia, though extending into North Africa Dysderids have six... Genera Oonops Gamasomorpha Scaphiella Orchestina The oonopid spiders (family Oonopidae) include about 450 species in about 65 genera worldwide. ... Genera Ariadna Gippsicola Segestria The tube-dwelling spiders (family Segestriidae) consist of two large and widespread genera (Segestria and Ariadna) and one monotypic genus (Gippsicola from Australia). ... Genera Eresus Gandanomeno Stegodyphus The velvet spiders (family Eresidae) are a small group (about 100 species in 10 genera) of almost totally Old World spiders (exception: a few species are known from Brazil). ... Species Eresus cinnaberinus Eresus sandaliatus Eresus ruficapillus Eresus walckenaerius Eresus is a genus of velvet spiders comprising several species, including Eresus cinnaberinus (formerly ) and Eresus sandaliatus, both of which are sometimes known as the Ladybird spider. Category: ... The Wall spider is a member of the Family Oecobiidae. ... Assassin spider with a victim. ... Genera 12 genera, including: Mimetus Ero The pirate spiders, also known as cannibal spiders (family Mimetidae) are a family of spiders that typically feed on other spiders. ... Genera Deinopis The Ogre-faced spiders (family Deinopidae) consist of stick-like elongate spiders that build unusual webs that they suspend between the front legs. ... Genera Ariston Astavakra Conifaber Daramulunia Hyptiotes Lubinella Miagrammopes Octonoba Orinomana Philoponella Polenecia Purumitra Siratoba Sybota Tangaroa Uloborus Waitkera Zosis The hackled orbweavers (family Uloboridae) have the special distinction of being non-venomous spiders. ... Diversity 34 genera, 144 species Genera see text The Anapidae are a spider family with 144 described species in 34 genera. ... Genera many, see text The orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae) are the familiar builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields and forests. ... Genera many, see text The bowl and doily and dwarf spiders, also known as money spiders (family Linyphiidae) include nearly 4250 species in over 550 genera worldwide. ... Genera Nesticus Eidmannella Carpathonesticus The scaffold web spiders of the family Nesticidae, are closely allied with the Theridiidae, or tangle web spiders. ... Genera Leucauge Meta Neophila Tetragnatha The Long-jawed orb weavers or Long jawed spiders constitute the Family Tetragnathidae of the Order Araneae. ... Binomial name Nephila clavipes (Linnaeus, 1767) Nephila clavipes is a species of golden orb-web spider. ... Genera Latrodectus Argyrodes Theridion Steatoda The tangle-web spiders or comb-footed spiders (family Theridiidae) are a large group (over 2000 species in nearly 80 genera) of haphazard web-builders found throughout the world. ... black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans), a poisonous spider that is infamous for the females habit of eating the male after sexual intercourse. ... Genera Phoneutria The wandering spiders used to refer to the genus Phoneutria but now usually refers to the entire family Ctenidae. ... Species The Brazilian wandering spider (Phoneutria fera) is regarded by some as the most dangerous spider in the world. ... A wolf spider defending its egg sac. ... Binomial name Lycosa tarentula The Tarantula spider whose scientific name is Lycosa tarentula (or, more recently, Hogna tarentula) is a wolf_spider from the area around a city in Italy now called Taranto but called Tarentum in Roman times. ... Genera Oxyopes (Common lynx spider) Peucetia (Green lynx spider) The Lynx spiders are hunting spiders somewhat similar to the wolf spiders and the jumping spiders. ... Nursery web spiders are spiders of the family Pisauridae. ... Genera Uduba Zorocrates Zorocratid spiders are uncommon, somewhat wolf spider-like, wandering spiders. ... Genera Uliodon Zoropsis Zoropsid spiders are uncommon, somewhat wolf spider-like, wandering, cribellate spiders. ... Genera Agelena Agelenopsis Hololena Tegenaria The araneomorph funnel-web spiders of the family Agelenidae include the common grass spiders of the genus Agelenopsis, as well as the mildly venomous European hobo spider, Tegenaria agrestis, which has been introduced into the Pacific Northwest of the United States. ... Binomial name Tegenaria agrestis Walckenaer, 1802 The hobo spider (Tegenaria agrestis) is a member of the genus of spiders known colloquially as funnel web spiders. ... Diversity 35 genera, 184 species Genera see text The Amphinectidae are a spider family with about 180 described species in 35 genera. ... Amaurobiidae is a family of spider known as tangled nest spiders. Categories: Spiders | Invertebrate stubs ... Diversity 56 genera, 508 species Genera Anyphaena Aysha Hibana  many more The anyphaenid sac spiders (family Anyphaenidae) are distinguished from the sac spiders and other spiders by having the abdominal spiracle placed one third to one half of the way anterior to the spinnerets toward the epigastric furrow on the... Binomial name Argyroneta aquatica The diving bell spider or water spider, Argyroneta aquatica, is a spider which lives entirely under water. ... The intertidal spiders of the family Desidae live in a very unusual location- between the tides. ... The Dictynid spider is a Family of cribellate (hackled band-producing) spiders. ... The Dwarf Sheet Spider is a member of the Family Hahniidae, which consists of small spiders (around 2 mm. ... Genera Delena (Flat huntsman spider) Heteropoda (Brown huntsman spider) Holconia (Banded huntsman spider) Isopeda Isopedella Neosparassus (Shield hunstman spider) Pediana Numerous others, see links Huntsman spiders is a common name given to the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae). ... Binomial name Delena cancerides Walckenaer, 1837 The Avondale spider is a large, brown huntsman spider originally found in the Avondale area of New Zealand, and its range now extends into the Waitakere area. ... Genera Anyphops Hovops Selenops The wall crab spiders (family Selenopidae), a member of a group of families collectively called crab spiders because of their laterigrade (forward-facing) legs. ... Genera Akyttara Amphiledorus Antillorena Asceua Aschma Australutica Basasteron Caesetius Capheris Cavasteron Chariobas Lutica Madrela Neostorena Palfuria Storena Zodarion and many others The Zodaraiid ground spiders, family Zodaraiidae, are a family of small to medium-sized spiders. ... Genera Lauricius The tengellid spiders (family Tengellidae) include only eight genera and a little over 30 species worldwide. ... Incertae sedis—of uncertain position (seat)—is a term used to define a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. ... Genera Clubiona Elaver The sac spiders of the family Clubionidae have a very confusing taxonomic history. ... Genera many, see text The long-legged sac spiders (family Miturgidae) include nearly 400 species in about 30 genera worldwide. ... Binomial name Cheiracanthium inclusum Hentz, 1847 The Yellow sac spider (Cheiracanthium inclusum) is not a true sac spider (of the family Clubionidae), but a long-legged sac spider, that is, a member of the family Miturgidae that was formerly classified in that group. ... Genera Titanoeca The titanoecid spiders (family Titanoecidae) include only five genera and a little over 45 species worldwide. ... Diversity 4 genera, 18 species Genera see text The Ammoxenidae are a small spider family with 18 species in four genera. ... Genera Cesonia Drassodes Gnaphosa Micaria Zelotes The ground spiders (family Gnaphosidae) include nearly 2000 species in over 100 genera worldwide. ... Binomial name Lampona cylindrata L. Koch, 1866 Lampona murina L. Koch, 1873 The white-tailed spider, (Lampona cylindrata, Lampona murina) is a medium-sized spider from southern Australia, so named because of the whitish tips at the end of their abdomens. ... Genera Ebo Philodromus Thanatus Tibellus and about 25 others The Philodromid crab spiders are the family Philodromidae, once considered to belong to a subfamily within the crab spiders, family Thomisidae. ... Genera Misumena Misumenops Misumenoides Thomisius Xysticus Tmarus The true crab spiders are a group of spiders constituting the family Thomisidae or thomisids. ... Genera Bagheera Corythalia Eris Freya Ghelna Habronattus Hentzia Lyssomanes Maevia Marpissa Messua Metacyrba Naphrys Paramarpissa Paraphidippus Phidippus Portia Salticus Sarinda Sassacus Sitticus Synemosyna Thiodina Zygoballus and many others The jumping spiders (Salticidae) are a family of spiders containing more than 4,000 species. ... This page lists all described species of the spider family Salticidae as of May 23, 2006. ... Binomial name Salticus scenicus (Clerck, 1757) The zebra spider (Salticus scenicus) is a common household jumping spider. ... Genera Castianeira Corinna Mazax Meriola Myrmecium Myrmecotypus Phrurolithus Phrurotimpus Trachelas The corinnid sac spiders (family Corinnidae), like the other clubionoid families, have a very confusing taxonomic history. ... Genera Agroeca Neoanagraphis Liocranid sac spiders consist of about 170 species of wandering spiders in 30 or so genera. ...

See also

References

• Reiskind, J. (1965). The Taxonomic Problem of Sexual Dimorphism in Spiders and a Synonymy in Myrmecotypus (Araneae, Clubionidae). Psyche 72:279-281 PDF (Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 license)

Creative Commons, some rights reserved. ...

External links

• Abbreviations for Insect and Spider Collections of the World
• International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature