Araneomorphae Explained

The Araneomorphae (also called the Labidognatha or "true spiders"[1]) are an infraorder of spiders. They are distinguishable by chelicerae (fangs) that point diagonally forward and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae (tarantulas and their close kin), where they point straight down. Araneomorphs comprise the vast majority (about 93%[2]) of living spiders.

Distinguishing characteristics

Most of spider species are Araneomorphae, which have fangs that face towards each other, increasing the orientations they can employ during prey capture. They have fewer, usually one pair of book lungs (when present), and the females typically live one year.

The Mygalomorphae have fangs that face towards the ground, and which are parallel to the long axis of the spider's body, thus they have only one orientation they can employ during prey capture. They have two pairs of book lungs, and the females often live many years.[3]

Spiders included

Almost all of the familiar spiders are included in the Araneomorphae group, one major exception being the tarantulas. There are a few other Mygalomorphae species that live around homes or gardens, but they typically are relatively small and not easily noticed.

The Araneomorphae, to the contrary, include the weavers of spiral webs; the cobweb spiders that live in the corners of rooms, and between windows and screens; the crab spiders that lurk on the surfaces of flowers in gardens; the jumping spiders that are visible hunting on surfaces; the wolf spiders that carpet hunting sites in sunny spots; and the large huntsman spiders.

Systematics

In older schemes, the Araneomorphae were divided into two lineages, the Hypochilae (containing only the family Hypochilidae), and the Neocribellatae. The Neocribellatae were in turn divided into the Austrochiloidea, and the two series Haplogynae and Entelogynae, each containing several superfamilies. Molecular phylogenetic studies have shown that the haplogynes in particular are not a monophyletic group. A 2020 study suggested the relationships among the major groups were as shown in the following cladogram.[4]

The blue bar to the right shows the former Haplogynae in the sense of Coddington (2005).

Table of families

Key
Genera1 ≥2 ≥10 ≥100
Species1–9 ≥10 ≥100 ≥1000
Araneomorphae families
FamilyGeneraSpeciesCommon nameExample
Agelenidae901366araneomorph funnel-web spiders Hobo spider
Amaurobiidae50283tangled nest spiders Callobius claustrarius
Anapidae58232
Anyphaenidae58614anyphaenid sac spiders Yellow ghost spider
Araneidae1843097orb-weaver spiders Zygiella x-notata
Archaeidae690pelican spiders Madagascarchaea gracilicollis
Archoleptonetidae28Archoleptoneta gertschi
Arkyidae238
Austrochilidae29Tasmanian cave spider
Caponiidae20139Diploglena capensis
Cheiracanthiidae
(syn. Eutichuridae)
14363Cheiracanthium mildei
Cithaeronidae29
Clubionidae19662sac spiders Clubiona trivialis
Corinnidae73824dark sac spiders Castianeira sp.
Ctenidae48532tropical wolf spiders Brazilian wandering spiders
Cyatholipidae2358
Cybaeidae21303
Cycloctenidae880
Deinopidae367net-casting spiders Rufous net-casting spider
Desidae60296intertidal spiders Phryganoporus candidus
Dictynidae53475Nigma walckenaeri
Diguetidae215coneweb spiders
Drymusidae217false violin spiders
Dysderidae25591woodlouse hunter spiders Woodlouse spider
Eresidae9102velvet spiders Eresus sandaliatus
Filistatidae19189crevice weavers Southern house spider
Gallieniellidae541
Gnaphosidae
(synonym: Ammoxenidae)
1452430flat-bellied ground spiders Drassodes cupreus
Gradungulidae817large-clawed spiders Carrai cave spider
Hahniidae24353dwarf sheet spiders
Hersiliidae16187tree trunk spiders Hersilia savignyi
Homalonychidae12
Huttoniidae11Huttonia palpimanoides
Hypochilidae233lampshade spiders Hypochilus thorelli
Lamponidae23192White-tailed spider
Leptonetidae22370Tooth cave spider
Linyphiidae6244724dwarf / money spiders Linyphia triangularis
Liocranidae35311liocranid sac spiders
Lycosidae1272452wolf spiders Lycosa tarantula
Malkaridae1357shield spiders
Mecysmaucheniidae725
Megadictynidae22
Mimetidae8159pirate spiders Oarces reticulatus
Miturgidae29141long-legged sac spiders
Myrmecicultoridae11
Mysmenidae14158spurred orb-weavers
Nesticidae18285cave cobweb spiders Nesticella marapu
Nicodamidae727
Ochyroceratidae10177midget ground weavers Theotima minutissima
Oecobiidae6120disc web spiders Oecobius navus
Oonopidae1151888dwarf hunting spiders Oonops domesticus
Orsolobidae30188
Oxyopidae9443lynx spiders Green lynx spider
Pacullidae438
Palpimanidae21165palp-footed spiders
Penestomidae19
Periegopidae13
Philodromidae30535philodromid crab spiders Philodromus dispar
Pholcidae971893daddy long-legs spiders Pholcus phalangioides
Phrurolithidae20313
Physoglenidae1372
Phyxelididae1468
Pimoidae285Pimoa cthulhu
Pisauridae51353nursery web spiders Pisaura mirabilis
Plectreuridae231
Prodidomidae23192
Psechridae261
Psilodercidae11224
Salticidae6656433jumping spiders Zebra spider
Scytodidae4241spitting spiders Scytodes thoracica
Segestriidae5152tubeweb spiders Segestria florentina
Selenopidae9262wall spiders Selenops radiatus
Senoculidae131
Sicariidae3172recluse spiders Brown recluse
Sparassidae951337huntsman spiders Avondale spider
Stenochilidae213
Stiphidiidae20125Tartarus mullamullangensis
Symphytognathidae1098dwarf orb-weavers Patu digua
Synaphridae313
Synotaxidae111
Telemidae16104long-legged cave spiders
Tetrablemmidae27151armored spiders
Tetragnathidae46982long jawed orb-weavers Orchard spider
Theridiidae1252538cobweb spiders Redback spider
Theridiosomatidae20135ray spiders Theridiosoma gemmosum
Thomisidae1712167crab spiders Goldenrod spider
Titanoecidae556Goeldia obscura
Toxopidae1482
Trachelidae20263
Trachycosmidae20148
Trechaleidae17133
Trochanteriidae651
Trogloraptoridae11Trogloraptor marchingtoni
Udubidae415
Uloboridae19291hackled orb-weaversUloborus walckenaerius
Viridasiidae314
Xenoctenidae433
Zodariidae891251ant spidersZodarion germanicum
Zoropsidae27182Zoropsis spinimana

References

Citations

Notes and References

  1. Book: Coddington, J.A. . Spiders of North America: an identification manual . . 2005 . 978-0-9771439-0-0 . Ubick, D. . 18–24 . Phylogeny and Classification of Spiders . 12 October 2008 . Paquin, P. . Cushing, P.E. . Roth, V. . http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/4365/1/CoddingtonSNAPhylogeny05.pdf . https://web.archive.org/web/20081209110443/http://si-pddr.si.edu/dspace/bitstream/10088/4365/1/CoddingtonSNAPhylogeny05.pdf . 9 December 2008 . dead.
  2. Web site: Bern . Natural History Museum . NMBE - World Spider Catalog . 2023-06-07 . research.amnh.org . en.
  3. Web site: ABOUT SPIDERS . www.publish.csiro.au . 2022-01-07.
  4. Magalhaes . Ivan L. F. . Azevedo . Guilherme H. F. . Michalik . Peter . Ramírez . Martín J. . February 2020 . The fossil record of spiders revisited: implications for calibrating trees and evidence for a major faunal turnover since the Mesozoic . en . Biological Reviews . 1464-7931 . 10.1111/brv.12559 . 31713947 . 207937170 . 95 . 1 . 184–217 .