Opopaea

Opopaea Temporal range: Neogene–present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
Opapaea sp. in Australia
Opapaea sp. in Australia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Oonopidae
Genus:	Opopaea Simon, 1891
Type species
Opopaea apicalis (Simon, 1893)
Diversity
190 species
Synonyms
Myrmecoscaphiella Mello-Leitão, 1926

Opopaea is a genus of goblin spiders of the family Oonopidae. ^[1] The genus is one of the largest within the family, with almost two hundred accepted species. ^[2]

Description

Spiders of the genus are very small, less than 2  mm long. They are usually a reddish-brown color. They have six eyes: four posterior in a straight row, and two anterior. ^[3]

• 
  Opopaea berlandi
• 
  Opopaea sp. in Australia

Species

As of October 2025 ^[update] , this genus includes 190 species. ^[2]

seven Opapaea sp. from Kenya

Complete list of species as of October 2025 [update]

Opopaea aculeata Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea acuminata Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea addsae Baehr & Smith, 2013 – New South Wales Opopaea alje Saaristo & Marusik, 2008 – Tanzania Opopaea ameyi Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea amieu Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea andranomay Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea andringitra Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea ankarafantsika Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea ankarana Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea antoniae Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland, New South Wales) Opopaea antsalova Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea antsiranana Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea apicalis (Simon, 1893) – China, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines. Introduced to United States, Mexico, Panama, Ecuador, Seychelles, Pacific Islands Opopaea aurantiaca Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea auriforma Tong & Li, 2015 – China Opopaea banksi (Hickman, 1950) – Australia (South Australia) Opopaea batanguena Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines Opopaea bemaraha Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea bemarivo Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea berenty Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea berlandi (Simon & Fage, 1922) – Kenya Opopaea betioky Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea bicolor Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea billroth Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea botswana Saaristo & Marusik, 2008 – Botswana Opopaea brisbanensis Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea broadwater Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea burwelli Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea bushblitz Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea calcaris Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea callani Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea calona Chickering, 1969 – United States Opopaea carnarvon Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea carteri Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea chrisconwayi Baehr & Smith, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea chunglinchaoi Barrion, Barrion-Dupo & Heong, 2013 – China (Hainan) Opopaea concolor (Blackwall, 1859) – Tropical Africa. Introduced to Hawaii, North, Central and South America, St. Helena Opopaea conujaingensis (Xu, 1986) – China Opopaea cornuta Yin & Wang, 1984 – China, Japan (Ryukyu Islands), Taiwan, Laos, Iran? Opopaea cowra Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea deserticola Simon, 1892 – Southeast Asia. Introduced to USA to Panama, Caribbean, Venezuela, Brazil, Galapagos, Ascension Island, Cape Verde, Canary Islands, Middle East, Japan (Ryukyu and Ogasawara Is.), Pacific Islands (type species) Opopaea diaoluoshan Tong & Li, 2010 – China (Hainan) Opopaea douglasi Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea durranti Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea ectognophus Harvey & Edward, 2007 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea ephemera Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Northern Territory) Opopaea exoculata Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea fiji Baehr, 2013 – Fiji Opopaea fishriver Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Northern Territory) Opopaea flabellata Tong & Li, 2015 – China Opopaea flava Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia) Opopaea foulpointe Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea foveolata Roewer, 1963 – China (Hainan), Pacific Islands Opopaea fragilis Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea framenaui Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea furcula Tong & Li, 2010 – China (Hainan) Opopaea gabon Saaristo & Marusik, 2008 – Gabon Opopaea gaborone Saaristo & Marusik, 2008 – Botswana Opopaea gerstmeieri Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea gibbifera Tong & Li, 2008 – China (Hainan) Opopaea gilliesi Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Northern Territory) Opopaea goloboffi Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea gracilis Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea gracillima Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea harmsi Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea hawaii Baehr, 2013 – Hawaii Opopaea hoplites (Berland, 1914) – East Africa Opopaea ita Ott, 2003 – Brazil Opopaea itampolo Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea johannae Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea johardingae Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Northern Territory) Opopaea jonesae Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea julianneae Baehr & Ott, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea kanpetlet Tong & Li, 2020 – Myanmar Opopaea kirindy Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea kulczynskii (Berland, 1914) – Kenya Opopaea lambkinae Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea lebretoni Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea leica Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea leichhardti Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea lemniscata Tong & Li, 2013 – Laos Opopaea linea Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland, New South Wales) Opopaea lingua Saaristo, 2007 – Israel Opopaea macula Tong & Li, 2015 – China Opopaea magna Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea mahafaly Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea makadara Tong & Li, 2019 – Kenya Opopaea manderano Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea mangun Tong & Li, 2024 – China Opopaea manongarivo Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea marangaroo Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea margaretehoffmannae Baehr & Smith, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea margaritae (Denis, 1947) – Tunisia, Egypt Opopaea maroantsetra Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Comoros, Madagascar Opopaea martini Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea mattica Simon, 1893 – Gabon, South Africa Opopaea mcleani Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea media Song & Xu, 1984 – China Opopaea meditata Gertsch & Davis, 1936 – United States Opopaea michaeli Baehr & Smith, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea millbrook Baehr, 2013 – South Australia Opopaea milledgei Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea millstream Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea mollis (Simon, 1907) – Sri Lanka Opopaea monteithi Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea mundy Baehr, 2013 – South Australia Opopaea nadineae Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea namoroka Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea ndoua Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea ngangao Tong & Li, 2019 – Kenya Opopaea ngulia Tong & Li, 2019 – Kenya Opopaea nibasa Saaristo & van Harten, 2006 – Yemen Opopaea nitens Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea olivernashi Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea ottoi Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea palau Baehr, 2013 – Palau Is. Opopaea pallida Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea pannawonica Baehr & Ott, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea phineus Harvey & Edward, 2007 – Western Australia Opopaea pilbara Baehr & Ott, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea plana Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea platnicki Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea plumula Yin & Wang, 1984 – China Opopaea preecei Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Northern Territory) Opopaea probosciella Saaristo, 2001 – Seychelles Opopaea proserpine Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea punctata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) – Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Lebanon, Israel Opopaea raveni Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea rigidula Tong & Li, 2015 – China Opopaea rixi Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea robusta Baehr & Ott, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea rogerkitchingi Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea rugosa Baehr & Ott, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea saaristoi Wunderlich, 2011 – Cyprus Opopaea sallami Saaristo & van Harten, 2006 – Yemen, Iran Opopaea sanaa Saaristo & van Harten, 2006 – Yemen Opopaea sandranantitra Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea santschii Brignoli, 1974 – Tunisia, Greece (incl. Crete), Cyprus, Egypt, Israel Opopaea sanya Tong & Li, 2010 – China (Hainan) Opopaea sauteri Brignoli, 1974 – Taiwan Opopaea semilunata Tong & Li, 2015 – China Opopaea shanasi Saaristo, 2007 – Israel Opopaea sheldrick Tong & Li, 2019 – Kenya Opopaea silhouettei (Benoit, 1979) – Seychelles. Introduced to Austral Is. (Rapa) Opopaea simoni (Berland, 1914) – East Africa Opopaea simplex Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea sown Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland, New South Wales) Opopaea speciosa (Lawrence, 1952) – Cabo Verde, South Africa, Yemen Opopaea speighti Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea spinosa Saaristo & van Harten, 2006 – Yemen Opopaea spinosiscorona Ranasinghe & Benjamin, 2018 – Sri Lanka Opopaea sponsa Brignoli, 1978 – Bhutan Opopaea stanisici Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea stevensi Baehr, 2013 – South Australia Opopaea striata Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea sturt Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea subtilis Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea sudan Saaristo & Marusik, 2008 – Sudan Opopaea suelewisae Baehr & Smith, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea suspecta Saaristo, 2002 – Seychelles Opopaea syarakui (Komatsu, 1967) – Korea, Japan, Taiwan Opopaea sylvestrella Baehr & Smith, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea taibao Tong & Yang, 2024 – China Opopaea tenuis Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea torotorofotsy Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea touho Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea triangularis Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea tsimaloto Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea tsimbazaza Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea tsimembo Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea tsingy Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea tsinjoriaky Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea tuberculata Baehr, 2013 – New Caledonia Opopaea tumida Tong & Li, 2013 – Laos Opopaea ulrichi Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea ursulae Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea viamao Ott, 2003 – Brazil, Argentina Opopaea vitrispina Tong & Li, 2010 – China (Hainan) Opopaea vohibazaha Andriamalala & Hormiga, 2013 – Madagascar Opopaea wenshan Tong & Zhang, 2024 – China Opopaea wheelarra Baehr & Ott, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea whim Baehr & Harvey, 2013 – Western Australia Opopaea wongalara Baehr, 2013 – Australia (Northern Territory) Opopaea wundanyi Tong & Li, 2019 – Kenya Opopaea yorki Baehr, 2013 – Australia (New South Wales) Opopaea yuhuang Tong & Li, 2024 – China Opopaea yukii Baehr, 2011 – Australia (Queensland) Opopaea zhengi Tong & Li, 2015 – China Opopaea zhigangi Tong & Li, 2020 – Myanmar

References

1. Platnick, Norman I.; Dupérré, N. (Nadine): The goblin spider genera Opopaea and Epectris (Araneae, Oonopidae) in the New World. (American Museum novitates, no. 3649), American Museum of Natural History, 2009.
2. "Gen. Opopaea Simon, 1892". World Spider Catalog. doi:10.24436/2 . Retrieved 2025-10-18.
3. Barrion, A.T.; Litsinger, J.A. (1995). Riceland spiders of South and Southeast Asia. Wallingford: CAB International in association with the International Rice Research Institute. ISBN   0851989675.

External links

• Citizen science observations for Opopaea at iNaturalist