dwarf spiders | |
---|---|
Drapetisca alteranda | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
Class: | Arachnida |
Order: | Araneae |
Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
Superfamily: | Araneoidea |
Family: | Linyphiidae Blackwall, 1859 |
Subfamilies | |
Dubiaraneinae Contents | |
Diversity | |
611 genera, 5401 species | |
![]() |
Linyphiidae is a family of very small spiders comprising 4667 described species in 618 genera worldwide. [2] 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 Yuelushannus from China, formally described in May 2020. [2] Because of the difficulty in identifying such tiny spiders, there are regular changes in taxonomy as species are combined or divided.
Spiders in this family are commonly known as sheet weavers (from the shape of their webs), or money spiders (in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and in Portugal, from the superstition that if such a spider is seen running on you, it has come to spin you new clothes, meaning financial good fortune).
There are six subfamilies, of which Linyphiinae (the sheetweb spiders), Erigoninae (the dwarf spiders), and Micronetinae, contain the majority of described species.
Common genera include Neriene , Lepthyphantes , Erigone , Eperigone , Bathyphantes , Troglohyphantes , the monotypic genus Tennesseellum and many others. These are among the most abundant spiders in the temperate regions, although many are also found in the tropics. The generally larger bodied members of the subfamily Linyphiinae are commonly found in classic "bowl and doily" webs or filmy domes. The usually tiny members of the Erigoninae are builders of tiny sheet webs. These tiny spiders (usually 3 mm or less) commonly balloon even as adults and may be very numerous in a given area on one day, only to disappear the next. Some males of the erigonines are exceptional, with their eyes set up on mounds or turrets. This reaches an extreme in some members of the large genus Walckenaeria , where several of the male's eyes are placed on a stalk taller than the carapace.
A few spiders in this family include:
Spiders of this family occur nearly worldwide. In Norway many species have been found walking on snow at temperatures of down to -7 °C.
Among birds, goldcrests are known to prey on money spiders. [3]
The Pimoidae are the sister group to the Linyphiidae. [1] Many species have been described in monotypic genera, especially in the Erigoninae, which probably reflects the scientific techniques traditionally used in this family. [1] As of July 2020 [update] , the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera: [2]
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.
Savignia is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by John Blackwall in 1833. The name honors the French naturalist Marie Jules César Savigny.
Walckenaeria is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by John Blackwall in 1833. It is a senior synonym of Paragonatium, as well as Wideria, Cornicularia, Prosopotheca, Tigellinus, and Trachynella.
Erigone is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by Jean Victoire Audouin in 1826. They are carnivorous, preying on small insects such as psylla and flies. One of the distinctive characters for this genus is the presence of teeth bordering the carapace.
Lepthyphantes is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by Anton Menge in 1866.
Tenuiphantes is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by Michael I. Saaristo & A. V. Tanasevitch in 1996.
Agyneta is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by J. E. Hull in 1911.
Scotinotylus is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884.
Centromerus is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by David B. Hirst in 1886.
Erigonoplus is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884.
Hilaira is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884.
Oedothorax is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by A. Förster & Philipp Bertkau in 1883.
Oreonetides is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by Embrik Strand in 1901.
Pelecopsis is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1864.
Styloctetor is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884.
Tapinocyba is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884.
Trichoncus is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884.
![]() | Wikispecies has information related to Linyphiidae |
![]() | Wikimedia Commons has media related to Linyphiidae . |