Long-jawed orb weavers or long jawed spiders (Tetragnathidae) are a family of araneomorph spiders first described by Anton Menge in 1866. They have elongated bodies, legs, and chelicerae, and build small orb webs with an open hub with few, wide-set radii and spirals with no signal line or retreat. Some species are often found in long vegetation near water.
A stabilimentum, also known as a web decoration, is a conspicuous silk structure included in the webs of some species of orb-web spider. Its function is a subject of debate.
Leucauge is a spider genus of long-jawed orb weavers, with over 160 species and fully pantropical distribution.
Nephilengys is a genus of tropical spiders of the family Nephilidae, consisting of two currently described species. The genus Nephilingis has been split off from this genus. Both genera have been called hermit spiders from the habit staying in their retreats during the day; the name eunuch spiders has been used for Nephilengys alone. Males may sever parts of their palpal bulbs after copulation.
Metellina is a genus of tetragnathid spiders that occurs mostly in Eurasia, with two species found in North America. M. segmentata was introduced to Canada.
Metellina mengei is a spider of the family Tetragnathidae that is found in Europe up to Georgia. It was once considered a form of M. segmentata that occurs in spring. M. mengei is much rarer than M. segmentata.
Metellina segmentata is a spider in the family Tetragnathidae with a Palaearctic distribution. This spiders name is often shortened to Meta segmentata, and some even call it Araneus segmentatus simply meaning, orb weaving spiders. It is primarily found in Europe, with the highest number in the United Kingdom, but the species has also been introduced to Canada.
Phonognatha graeffei, referred to as the leaf curling spider, is a common Australian spider found in woodlands and urban areas in the northeastern, eastern and southern states. A small member of the family Araneidae, the orb-weavers, it was previously placed in Tetragnathidae.
Taraire is a small genus of Polynesian long-jawed orb-weavers. The genus was first described by A. Álvarez-Padilla, R. J. Kallal and Gustavo Hormiga in 2020, and it has only been found in New Zealand. They build vertical orb webs near forest floors, and can be found resting in the center. The genus name is a reference to Beilschmiedia tarairi, the native New Zealand tree that they are commonly found in.
Leucauge argyra is a spider and is known for being the host of the Hymenoepimecis argyraphaga, a Costa Rican or Puerto Rican parasitoid wasp. It is found in Asia, United States and Brazil. Leucauge argyra is known to be a colonial species, with spiders maintaining individual territories/orb webs within a scaffolding of shared support lines maintained by the group. Colonies of multi-generational individuals are often seen with some levels of size stratification.
The book Svenska Spindlar or Aranei Svecici is one of the major works of the Swedish arachnologist and entomologist Carl Alexander Clerck and was first published in Stockholm in the year 1757. It was the first comprehensive book on the spiders of Sweden and one of the first regional monographs of a group of animals worldwide. The full title of the work is Svenska Spindlar uti sina hufvud-slägter indelte samt under några och sextio särskildte arter beskrefne och med illuminerade figurer uplyste – Aranei Svecici, descriptionibus et figuris æneis illustrati, ad genera subalterna redacti, speciebus ultra LX determinati, and included 162 pages of text and six colour plates. It was published in Swedish, with a Latin translation printed in a slightly smaller font below the Swedish text.
Tetragnatha extensa is a species of spider found across the Northern Hemisphere. It has an elongate body, up to 11 mm (0.43 in) long, and adopts a straight line posture when alarmed. It lives on low vegetation in damp areas, and feeds on flying insects which it catches in its web.
Trogloraptor is a genus of large spiders found in the caves of southwestern Oregon. It is the sole genus in the family Trogloraptoridae, and includes only one species, Trogloraptor marchingtoni. These spiders are predominantly yellow-brown in color with a maximum leg span of 3 in (7.6 cm). They are remarkable for having hook-like claws on the raptorial last segments of their legs.
Pinkfloydia is a genus of small Australian long-jawed orb-weavers, reaching a maximum lengths of about 4.5 millimetres (0.18 in). It was first described by D. Dimitrov & G. Hormiga in 2011, and contains two species, found in New South Wales and Western Australia: P. harveyi and P. rixi. They have a unique rounded, cone-shaped head structure with one pair of large eyes and three pairs of smaller eyes. The genus is named after British rock band Pink Floyd.
Dolichognatha junlitjri is a species of orb-weaver spiders found in the Philippines. The species was discovered in Molawin Creek at Mount Makiling, and was described, illustrated and named by Aimee Lynn Barrion-Dupo and Alberto T. Barrion who published their discovery in 2014. They considered that the genus Prolochus, treated a synonym of Dolichognatha by sources such as the World Spider Catalog as of January 2021, should be revived. It would include Dolichognatha longiceps as Prolochus longiceps, and Prolochus junlitjri. However, a molecular phylogenetic study in 2018 did not support this, and placed the species in Dolichognatha, the placement accepted by the World Spider Catalog.
Tetragnatha montana, commonly known as the silver stretch spider, is a species of long-jawed orb weaver from the family Tetragnathidae that has a Palearctic distribution. It preys mostly on flies and mosquitoes. The name silver stretch spider refers to its shiny metallic colour and its habit of extending its legs into a stick like shape.
Nephilingis is a genus of spiders in the family Nephilidae. It was split off from the genus Nephilengys in 2006. Both genera have been called hermit spiders from the habit of staying in their retreats during the day; alternatively the name "hermit spider" may be reserved for Nephilingis, with Nephilengys species called "eunuch spiders".
Mollemeta is a monotypic genus of long-jawed orb-weavers endemic to Chile. It contains the single species, Mollemeta edwardsi, first described as Landana edwardsi, based on a female found in 1904. The name is a reference to "Molle", the Mapudungun word for "tree", because it builds its vertical orb webs on tree trunks. It is in a clade with Allende, Chrysometa, Dolichognatha, Meta, and Metellina due to several autapomorphies, including the unique shapes of the cymbium, conductor, and embolus.
Metellina curtisi is a species of long-jawed orb weaver in the spider family Tetragnathidae. It is found in North America.
Metellina mimetoides is a species of long-jawed orb weaver in the spider family Tetragnathidae. It is found in North America.
