The family Dipluridae, known as curtain-web spiders are a group of spiders in the infraorder Mygalomorphae, that have two pairs of booklungs, and chelicerae (fangs) that move up and down in a stabbing motion. A number of genera, including that of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax), used to be classified in this family but have now been moved to Hexathelidae.
Theridiidae, also known as the tangle-web spiders, cobweb spiders and comb-footed spiders, is a large family of araneomorph spiders first described by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833. This diverse, globally distributed family includes over 3,000 species in 124 genera, and is the most common arthropod found in human dwellings throughout the world.
Linyphiidae is a family of very small spiders comprising 4706 described species in 620 genera worldwide. This makes Linyphiidae the second largest family of spiders after the Salticidae. The family is poorly known; new genera and species are still being discovered throughout the world. The newest such genus is Himalafurca from Nepal, formally described in April 2021 by Tanasevitch. Because of the difficulty in identifying such tiny spiders, there are regular changes in taxonomy as species are combined or divided.
Scaffold web spiders (Nesticidae) is a family of araneomorph spiders closely allied with tangle web spiders. Like the "Theridiidae", these spiders have a comb of serrated bristles on the hind tarsi that are used to pull silk bands from the spinnerets. It contains 16 genera and about 300 species, many of which are associated with caves or overhangs. The genus Nesticus is the type for the family and is found throughout the world. The related Eidmannella has speciated considerably in Texas caves and includes some extremely localized species that are considered threatened. One species, Eidmannella pallida, is found in caves and under overhangs, but also in agricultural fields and other habitats away from such restricted areas. The genus Carpathonesticus is found in central Eurasia.
Hersiliidae is a tropical and subtropical family of spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1869, which are commonly known as tree trunk spiders. They have two prominent spinnerets that are almost as long as their abdomen, earning them another nickname, the "two-tailed spiders". They range in size from 10 to 18 mm long. Rather than using a web that captures prey directly, they lay a light coating of threads over an area of tree bark and wait for an insect to stray onto the patch. When this happens, they encircle their spinnerets around their prey while casting silk on it. When the insect is immobilized, they can bite it through the shroud.
Wall spider is the common name for members of the genus Oecobius. The members of these several species are all very small spiders that make small flat webs over crevices in walls and in similar spaces. They possess an organ called a cribellum, which is a kind of comb-like device used to separate fibers of silk drawn from its spinnerets into many extremely fine fibers. Those fibers are so small in diameter that prey insects easily become entangled in them. The spiders then bite them before they can get away.
Zodarion is a genus of ant-eating spiders from the family Zodariidae. Over 170 species from Eurasia, North Africa and North America have been described as of October 2021.
Synaphridae is a family of spiders with thirteen described species in three genera. It was first described as a subfamily of Anapidae, but it has since been raised to family status.
Archaeidae, also known as assassin spiders and pelican spiders, is a spider family with about ninety described species in five genera. It contains small spiders, ranging from 2 to 8 millimetres long, that prey exclusively on other spiders. They are unusual in that they have "necks", ranging from long and slender to short and fat. The name "pelican spider" refers to these elongated jaws and necks used to catch their prey. Living species of Archaeidae occur in South Africa, Madagascar and Australia, with the sister family Mecysmaucheniidae occurring in southern South America and New Zealand.
Lasaeola is a genus of comb-footed spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1881. The type species was described under the name Pachydactylus pronus, but was renamed Lasaeola prona when it was discovered that the name "Pachydactylus" was preoccupied. Both this genus and Deliana were removed from the synonymy of Dipoena in 1988, but many of these species require more study before their placement is certain.
Spermophorides is a genus of cellar spiders that was first described by J. Wunderlich in 1992.
Phrurolithidae is a family of araneomorph spiders first described by N. Banks in 1982. First included in the Corinnidae as the subfamily Phrurolithinae, later phylogenetic studies justified a separate family.
Pulchellodromus is a genus of running crab spiders that was first separated from Philodromus by J. Wunderlich in 2012.
Canariphantes is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by J. Wunderlich in 1992. It might be a junior synonym of Lepthyphantes.
Frontiphantes is a monotypic genus of European dwarf spiders containing the single species, Frontiphantes fulgurenotatus. It was first described by J. Wunderlich in 1987, and has only been found in Portugal.
Minicia is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1875.
Parapelecopsis is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by J. Wunderlich in 1992. The spider is found in woodlands in leaf litter, pine needles, moss at ground level and lichen and moss on tree trunks.
Macaridion is a monotypic genus of European comb-footed spiders containing the single species, Macaridion barreti. The genus was first described by J. Wunderlich in 1992, and it is found in Portugal and Spain. The sole species was first described under the name Theridion barreti, but it was elevated to its own genus in 1992.
Ruborridion is a monotypic genus of Asian comb-footed spiders containing the single species, Ruborridion musivum. The species was first described under the name Theridion musivum in 1873. The genus was described by J. Wunderlich in 2011. They are found in India and in the mediterranean area
Priscaleclercera is a genus of araneomorph spiders in the family Psilodercidae, containing seven species. The genus was first described by Jorge Wunderlich in 2017, and its fossils have been found in Burmese amber, while live specimens have been found in Indonesia (Sulawesi).
