Oonopidae, also known as goblin spiders, is a family of spiders consisting of over 1,600 described species in about 113 genera worldwide, with total species diversity estimated at 2000 to 2500 species. The type genus of the family is OonopsKeyserling, 1835.
Norman Ira Platnick was an American biological systematist and arachnologist. At the time of his death, he was a Professor Emeritus of the Richard Gilder Graduate School and Peter J. Solomon Family Curator Emeritus of the invertebrate zoology department of the American Museum of Natural History. A 1973 Ph.D. recipient at Harvard University, Platnick described over 1,800 species of spiders from around the world, making him the second most prolific spider taxonomist in history, behind only Eugène Simon. Until 2014 he was also the maintainer of the World Spider Catalog, a website formerly hosted by the AMNH which tracks the arachnology literature, and attempts to maintain a comprehensive list, sorted taxonomically, of every species of spider which has been formally described. In 2007 he received the International Society of Arachnology's Bonnet award, named for Pierre Bonnet, in recognition of his work on the catalog.
Unicorn ("one horn", in Latin) is a genus of goblin spiders from South America, containing seven species that occur predominantly in high elevation, semi-desert regions of Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. Individuals are relatively large for goblin spiders, measuring up to 3.0 mm (0.12 in) in body length. The genus name refers to a characteristic pointed projection between the eyes and jaws of males. In at least one species, broken-off tips of the male pedipalps have been found within the genitalia of females, postulated as a means of sperm competition. Unicorn possesses several traits that suggest it is a relatively "primitive" member of the Oonopidae, and is classified with other similar, soft-bodied goblin spiders in the subfamily Sulsulinae.
Triaeris stenaspis is a species of spider in the family Oonopidae, with a pantropical distribution. It is also found in Iran and has been introduced into Europe. A very small spider, with a maximum body length of under 2 mm (0.08 in), it has been shown to prey successfully on springtails. Only females have ever been found, and the species may be parthenogenetic, being able to produce female offspring from unfertilized eggs.
Triaeris macrophthalmus is a species of spider from the family Oonopidae. It was described by Lucien Berland in 1914 and is endemic to Tanzania. In 2012, Norman I. Platnick and co-authors described the genus Triaeris as "an enigma wrapped around a mystery". They consider that most species assigned to the genus following Simon in 1890 and before 2012 do not belong to Triaeris, including T. macrophthalmus, which they suggest belongs to one of a group of related genera. As of April 2016, no alternative generic assignment has been accepted by the World Spider Catalog.
Predatoroonops is a genus of goblin spiders endemic to the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. The genus is characterized by the extremely modified male chelicerae and long pairs of ventral spines. It is the first fully revised endemic Brazilian genus of spiders, uncovered in 2012 after two and a half years of research at São Paulo's Instituto Butantan.
Bannana is a genus of goblin spiders native to Xishuangbanna prefecture, Yunnan Province, China, where it lives in the leaf-litter of tropical rainforest. There are two known species: Bannana crassispina and B. parvula, both described in 2015. Individuals are pale yellow and unpatterned, and range from around 1.0 to 1.8 mm in body length, with females being slightly larger than males. The eyes are reduced or entirely absent. Known only from a nature reserve in Xishuangbanna, Bannana belongs to a group of Asian goblin spiders known as the "Dysderoides complex", that ranges from China to Pakistan and south to Indonesia.
Micromygale is a genus of spiders in the family Microstigmatidae containing the sole species Micromygale diblemma. The species was described in 1982 by Platnick and Forster and is found in Panama.
Farqua is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2001 by Saaristo. As of 2017, it contains only one species, Farqua quadrimaculata, from the Farquhar Group islands of the Seychelles.
Hytanis is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 1893 by Simon. As of 2017, it contains only one species, Hytanis oblonga, found in Venezuela.
Khamisia is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2006 by Saaristo & van Harten. As of 2016, it contains 4 species.
Megabulbus is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2007 by Saaristo. As of 2017, it contains only one species, Megabulbus sansan, found in Israel.
Megaoonops is a genus of goblin spiders first described by Michael Saaristo in 2007. As of February 2019, it contains only one species, Megaoonops avrona.
Setayeshoonops is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2011 by Makhan & Ezzatpanah. As of 2017, it contains only one species, Setayeshoonops setayeshoonops, found in Suriname.
Sulsula is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 1882 by Simon. As of 2017, it contains only one species, Sulsula pauper, found in Algeria, Egypt, and Sudan.
Telchius is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 1893 by Simon. As of 2016, it contains 3 African species.
Vientianea is a monotypic genus of Laotian goblin spiders containing the single species, Vientianea peterjaegeri. It was first described by Y. F. Tong & S. Q. Li in 2013, and is only found in Laos.
Himalayana is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2014 by Grismado. As of 2017, it contains 6 species from India and Nepal.
Khamiscar is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2015 by Platnick & Berniker. As of 2017, it contains 6 species, all found in Madagascar.
Socotroonops is a genus of spiders in the family Oonopidae. It was first described in 2002 by Saaristo & van Harten. As of 2017, it contains only one species, Socotroonops socotra.
