The sac spiders of the family Clubionidae have a very confusing taxonomic history. Once this family was a large catch-all taxon for a large group of disparate collection of spiders, similar only in that they had eight eyes arranged in two rows, conical anterior spinnerets that touched and were wandering predators that built silken retreats, or sacs, usually on plant terminals, between leaves, under bark or under rocks. These are now recognized to include several families, some of which are more closely related to the three-clawed spiders, like lynx and wolf spiders, than to true "clubionoids." Families Suborder Mesothelae     Liphistiidae (primitive burrowing spiders) Suborder Mygalomorphae     Atypidae (atypical tarantula)     Antrodiaetidae (folding trapdoor spider)     Mecicobothriidae (dwarf tarantulas)     Hexathelidae (venomous funnel-web tarantula)     Dipluridae (funnel-web tarantula)     Cyrtaucheniidae (wafer trapdoor spider)     Ctenizidae (trapdoor spider)     Theraphosidae (tarantula) Suborder Araneomorphae     Hypochilidae (lampshade spider)     Filistatidae (crevice weaver)     Sicariidae (recluse spider)     Scytodidae (spitting... A wolf spider defending its egg sac. ...

Among the families formerly classified as sac spiders, some of which have common names including the words "sac spider", include:

• Anyphaenidae (anyphaenid sac spider)
• Tengellidae (tengellid spider)
• Zorocratidae (zorocratid spider)
• Miturgidae (long-legged sac spider)
• Corinnidae (corinnid sac spider)
• Liocranidae (liocranid sac spider)

as well as the remnant Clubionidae (now consisting of a little over 500 species in 15 genera worldwide). However "sac spider" used on its own should imply a member of the family Clubionidae. Genera Anyphaena Hibana The anyphaenid sac spiders of the 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 underside of the abdomen. ... Genera eight known The tengellid spiders (family Tengellidae) include only eight genera and a little over 30 species worldwide. ... Zorocratid spiders are uncommon, somewhat wolf spider-like, wandering spiders. ... Genera many, see text The long-legged sac spiders (family Miturgidae) include nearly 400 species in about 30 genera worldwide. ... 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. ...

In North America the family as it is now recognised consists of only two genera, Clubiona and Elaver (formerly Clubionoides). Clubiona is nearly worldwide in distribution. World map showing location of North America A satellite composite image of North America North America is the third largest continent in area and in population after Eurasia and Africa. ...

External link

• Platnick, N.I. 2003. World Spider Catalog (http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog81-87/index.html)

• Family Anyphaenidae Sac spiders, ghost spiders (http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/Spiders/Anyphaenidae/anyphaenidae.htm)
• Australian sac spiders, family Clubionidae, Gnaphosidae, Miturgidae, Corinnidae (http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/australian/sacspiders/sacspiders.html)