Araneidae Genera
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Orb-weaver spiders are members of the
spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...
family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Araneidae. They are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields, and forests. The English word "orb" can mean "circular", hence the English name of the group. Araneids have eight similar eyes, hairy or spiny legs, and no
stridulating Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fish, snakes and spiders. The mech ...
organs. The family has a
cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...
, including many well-known large or brightly colored garden spiders. With 3,108
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
in 186
genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...
worldwide, the Araneidae comprise the third-largest family of spiders (behind the Salticidae and Linyphiidae). Araneid webs are constructed in a stereotypical fashion, where a framework of nonsticky
silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
is built up before the spider adds a final spiral of silk covered in sticky droplets. Orb webs are also produced by members of other spider families. The long-jawed orb weavers (
Tetragnathidae 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-se ...
) were formerly included in the Araneidae; they are closely related, being part of the
superfamily SUPERFAMILY is a database and search platform of structural and functional annotation for all proteins and genomes. It classifies amino acid sequences into known structural domains, especially into SCOP superfamilies. Domains are functional, str ...
Araneoidea. The family Arkyidae has been split off from the Araneidae. The cribellate or hackled orb-weavers ( Uloboridae) belong to a different group of spiders. Their webs are strikingly similar, but use a different kind of silk.


Description

Generally, orb-weaving spiders are three-clawed builders of flat webs with sticky spiral capture
silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
. The building of a web is an engineering feat, begun when the spider floats a line on the wind to another surface. The spider secures the line and then drops another line from the center, making a "Y". The rest of the scaffolding follows with many radii of nonsticky silk being constructed before a final spiral of sticky capture silk. The third claw is used to walk on the nonsticky part of the web. Characteristically, the prey
insect Insects (from Latin ') are pancrustacean hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body ( head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs ...
that blunders into the sticky lines is stunned by a quick bite, and then wrapped in silk. If the prey is a venomous insect, such as a wasp, wrapping may precede biting and/or stinging. Much of the orb-spinning spiders' success in capturing insects depends on the web not being visible to the prey, with the stickiness of the web increasing the visibility, thus decreasing the chances of capturing prey. This leads to a trade-off between the visibility of the web and the web's prey-retention ability. Many orb-weavers build a new web each day. Most orb-weavers tend to be active during the evening hours; they hide for most of the day. Generally, towards evening, the spider consumes the old web, rests for about an hour, then spins a new web in the same general location. Thus, the webs of orb-weavers are generally free of the accumulation of
detritus In biology, detritus () is dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms, and fecal material. Detritus typically hosts commun ...
common to other species, such as black widow spiders. Some orb-weavers do not build webs at all. Members of the genera '' Mastophora'' in the Americas, '' Cladomelea'' in Africa, and '' Ordgarius'' in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
produce sticky globules, which contain a pheromone analog. The globule is hung from a silken thread dangled by the spider from its front legs. The pheromone analog attracts male moths of only a few species. These get stuck on the globule and are reeled in to be eaten. Both genera of bolas spiders are highly camouflaged and difficult to locate. In the ''Araneus diadematus'', variables such as wind, web support, temperatures, humidity, and silk supply all proved to be variables in web construction. When studied against the tests of nature, the spiders were able to decide what shape to make their web, how many capture spirals, or the width of their web. Though it could expected for these spiders to just know these things, it isn't well researched yet as to just how the arachnid knows how to change their web design based on their surroundings. Some scientists suggest that it could be through the spider's spatial learning on their environmental surroundings and the knowing of what will or won't work compared to natural behavioristic rules. The spiny orb-weaving spiders in the genera '' Gasteracantha'' and '' Micrathena'' look like plant seeds or thorns hanging in their orb-webs. Some species of ''Gasteracantha'' have very long, horn-like spines protruding from their abdomens. One feature of the webs of some orb-weavers is the
stabilimentum A stabilimentum (plural: stabilimenta), 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. Origin It is likely that the use of stabiliment ...
, a crisscross band of silk through the center of the web. It is found in several genera, but '' Argiope'' – the yellow and banded garden spiders of North America – is a prime example. As orb-weavers age, they tend to have less production of their silk; many adult orb-weavers can then depend on their coloration to attract more of their prey. The band may be a lure for prey, a marker to warn birds away from the web, and a
camouflage Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...
for the spider when it sits in the web. The stabilimentum may decrease the visibility of the silk to insects, thus making it harder for prey to avoid the web. The orb-web consists of a frame and supporting radii overlaid with a sticky capture spiral, and the silks used by orb-weaver spiders have exceptional mechanical properties to withstand the impact of flying prey. The orb-weaving spider ''
Zygiella x-notata ''Zygiella x-notata'', sometimes known as the missing sector orb weaver or the silver-sided sector spider,Factsheet 6: Missing-sector Orbweaver (Zygiella x-notata)', British Arachnological Society, 2016. Retrieved 27 November 2016 is a spider sp ...
'' produces a unique orb-web with a characteristic missing sector, similar to other species of the ''Zygiella'' genus in the Araneidae family. During the
Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
, a radiation of angiosperm plants and their insect pollinators occurred. Fossil evidence shows that the orb web was in existence at this time, which permitted a concurrent radiation of the spider predators along with their insect prey. The capacity of orb–webs to absorb the impact of flying prey led orbicularian spiders to become the dominant predators of aerial insects in many ecosystems. Insects and spiders have comparable rates of diversification, suggesting they co-radiated, and the peak of this radiation occurred 100 Mya, before the origin of angiosperms. Vollrath and Selden (2007) make the bold proposition that insect evolution was driven less by flowering plants than by spider predation – particularly through orb webs – as a major selective force. On the other hand some analyses have yielded estimates as high as 265 Mya, with a large number (including Dimitrov et al 2016) intermediate between the two. Most arachnid webs are vertical and the spiders usually hang with their heads downward. A few webs, such as those of orb-weavers in the genus '' Metepeira'', have the orb hidden within a tangled space of web. Some ''Metepiera'' species are semisocial and live in communal webs. In Mexico, such communal webs have been cut out of trees or bushes and used for living
fly paper Flypaper (also known as a fly ribbon, fly strip, fly capture tape, or fly catcher) is a fly-killing device made of paper coated with a sweetly fragrant, but extremely sticky and sometimes poisonous substance that traps flies and other flying inse ...
. In 2009, workers at a
Baltimore Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
wastewater treatment plant called for help to deal with over 100 million orb-weaver spiders, living in a community that managed to spin a phenomenal web that covered some 4 acres of a building, with spider densities in some areas reaching 35,176 spiders per cubic meter.


Taxonomy

The oldest known true orb-weaver is ''
Mesozygiella dunlopi ''Mesozygiella'' is an extinct genus of orb-weaving spider (family Araneidae), with one known species, ''Mesozygiella dunlopi'', dating from the Early Cretaceous, making it the earliest orb-weaver yet discovered. Two male specimens of the specie ...
'', from the
Lower Cretaceous Lower may refer to: *Lower (surname) *Lower Township, New Jersey *Lower Receiver (firearms) *Lower Wick Lower Wick is a small hamlet located in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is situated about five miles south west of Dursley, eight ...
. Several fossils provide direct evidence that the three major orb-weaving families, namely the Araneidae, Tetragnathidae, and Uloboridae, had evolved by this time, about 140 Mya. They probably originated during the Jurassic (). Based on new molecular evidence in silk genes, all three families are likely to have a common origin. The two superfamilies, Deinopoidea and Araneoidea, have similar behavioral sequences and spinning apparatuses to produce architecturally similar webs. The latter weave true viscid silk with an aqueous glue property, and the former use dry fibrils and sticky silk. The Deinopoidea (including the Uloboridae), have a cribellum – a flat, complex spinning plate from which the cribellate silk is released. They also have a calamistrum – an apparatus of bristles used to comb the cribellate silk from the cribellum. The Araneoidea, or the "ecribellate" spiders, do not have these two structures. The two groups of orb-weaving spiders are morphologically very distinct, yet much similarity exists between their web forms and web construction behaviors. The cribellates retained the ancestral character, yet the cribellum was lost in the escribellates. The lack of a functional cribellum in araneoids is most likely
synapomorphic In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel character or character state that has evolved from its ancestral form (or plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy shared by two or more taxa and is therefore hypothesized to have ...
. If the orb-weaver spiders are a monophyletic group, the fact that only some species in the group lost a feature adds to the controversy. The cribellates are split off as a separate taxon that retained the primitive feature, which makes the lineage
paraphyletic In taxonomy (general), taxonomy, a group is paraphyletic if it consists of the group's most recent common ancestor, last common ancestor and most of its descendants, excluding a few Monophyly, monophyletic subgroups. The group is said to be pa ...
and not synonymous with any real evolutionary lineage. The morphological and behavioral evidence surrounding orb webs led to the disagreement over a single or a dual origin. While early molecular analysis provided more support for a
monophyletic In cladistics for a group of organisms, monophyly is the condition of being a clade—that is, a group of taxa composed only of a common ancestor (or more precisely an ancestral population) and all of its lineal descendants. Monophyletic gro ...
origin, other evidence indicates that orb-weavers evolved earlier phylogenetically than previously thought, and were extinct at least three times during the
Cretaceous The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
.


Reproduction

Araneid species either mate at the central hub of the web, where the male slowly traverses the web, trying not to get eaten, and when reaching the hub, mounts the female; or the male constructs a mating thread inside or outside the web to attract the female via vibratory courtship, and if successful, mating occurs on the thread. In the cannibalistic and polyandrous orb-web spider '' Argiope bruennichi'', the much smaller males are attacked during their first copulation and are cannibalized in up to 80% of the cases. All surviving males die after their second copulation, a pattern observed on other ''Argiope'' species. Whether a male survives his first copulation depends on the duration of the genital contact; males that jump off early (before 5 seconds) have a chance of surviving, while males that copulate longer (greater than 10 seconds) invariably die. Prolonged copulation, although associated with cannibalism, enhances sperm transfer and relative paternity. When males mated with a nonsibling female, the duration of their copulation was prolonged, and consequently the males were cannibalized more frequently. When males mated with a sibling female, they copulated briefly, thus were more likely to escape cannibalism. By escaping, their chance of mating again with an unrelated female likely would be increased. These observations suggest that males can adaptively adjust their investment based on the degree of genetic relatedness of the female to avoid
inbreeding depression Inbreeding depression is the reduced biological fitness which has the potential to result from inbreeding (the breeding of related individuals). Biological fitness refers to an organism's ability to survive and perpetuate its genetic material. In ...
.


Sexual size dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism Sexual dimorphism is the condition where the sexes of the same animal and/or plant species exhibit different morphological characteristics, particularly characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most ani ...
refers to physical differences between males and females of the same species. One such difference can be in size. Araneids often exhibit size dimorphism typically known as extreme sexual size dimorphism, due to the extent of differences in size. The size difference among species of Araneidae ranges greatly. Some females, such as those of the ''
Nephila pilipes ''Nephila pilipes'' (northern golden orb weaver or giant golden orb weaver''Nephila pilipes''
Ar ...
'', can be at least 9 times larger than the male, while others are only slightly larger than the male. The larger size female is typically thought to be selected through
fecundity selection Fecundity selection, also known as fertility selection, is the fitness advantage resulting from selection on traits that increases the number of offspring (i.e. fecundity). Charles Darwin formulated the theory of fecundity selection between 1871 ...
, the idea that bigger females can produce more eggs, thus more offspring. Although a great deal of evidence points towards the greatest selection pressure on larger female size, some evidence indicates that selection can favor small male size, as well. Araneids also exhibit a phenomenon called sexual cannibalism, which is commonly found throughout the Araneidae. Evidence suggests a negative correlation between sexual size dimorphism and instances of sexual cannibalism. Other evidence, however, has shown that differences in cannibalistic events among araneids when having smaller or slightly larger males is advantageous. Some evidence has shown that extreme dimorphism may be the result of males avoiding detection by the females. For males of these species, being smaller in size may be advantageous in moving to the central hub of a web so female spiders may be less likely to detect the male, or even if detected as prey to be eaten, the small size may indicate little nutritional value. Larger-bodied male araneids may be advantageous when mating on a mating thread because the thread is constructed from the edge of the web orb to structural threads or to nearby vegetation. Here larger males may be less likely to be cannibalized, as the males are able to copulate while the female is hanging, which may make them safer from cannibalism. In one subfamily of Araneid that uses a mating thread, Gasteracanthinae, sexual cannibalism is apparently absent despite extreme size dimorphism.


Genera

, the
World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...
accepts the following genera: *''
Acacesia ''Acacesia'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. It contains six species with a mostly neotropical distribution, ranging from South America to Mexico. One species, ''A. hamata'', is found in the US as we ...
'' Simon, 1895 — South America, North America *''
Acantharachne ''Acantharachne'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Albert Tullgren in 1910. Taxonomy The genus ''Acantharachne'' was erected by Albert Tullgren in 1910 for the species '' Acantharachne cornuta''. There was already a g ...
'' Tullgren, 1910 — Congo, Madagascar, Cameroon *'' Acanthepeira'' Marx, 1883 — North America, Brazil, Cuba *''
Acroaspis ''Acroaspis'' is a genus of Oceania, South Pacific Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Ferdinand Karsch in 1878. Species it contains six species in Australia and New Zealand: *''Acroaspis decorosa'' (Urquhart, 1894) – New Zealand ...
'' Karsch, 1878 — New Zealand, Australia *''
Acrosomoides ''Acrosomoides'' is a genus of African Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1887. it contains only three species. Species The following species are recognised in the genus ''Acrosomoides'': * ''Acrosomoides acrosomo ...
'' Simon, 1887 — Madagascar, Cameroon, Congo *''
Actinacantha ''Actinacantha'' is a genus of Southeast Asian orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Actinacantha globulata''. It was first described by Eugène Simon in 1864, and has only been found in Indonesia Indonesia, officially the ...
'' Simon, 1864 — Indonesia *''
Actinosoma ''Actinosoma'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Actinosoma pentacanthum''. It was first described by E. L. Holmberg in 1883, and is found throughout South America, from Colombia to Argentina Argentina ( ...
'' Holmberg, 1883 — Colombia, Argentina *''
Aculepeira ''Aculepeira'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Ralph Vary Chamberlin, R. V. Chamberlin & Wilton Ivie in 1942. Species it contains twenty-seven species: *''Aculepeira aculifera'' (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889) – U ...
'' Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942 — North America, Central America, South America, Asia, Europe *''
Acusilas ''Acusilas'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Species it contains nine species: *''Acusilas africanus'' Simon, 1895 – West, Central, East Africa *''Acusilas callidus'' Schmidt & Scharff, 2 ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Asia *''
Aethriscus ''Aethriscus'' is a genus of Central African Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Reginald Innes Pocock in 1902. it contains only two species, both found in Central Africa, Middle Africa. References

Araneidae genera Spiders ...
'' Pocock, 1902 — Congo *''
Aethrodiscus ''Aethrodiscus'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Aethrodiscus transversalis''. It was first described by Embrik Strand in 1913, and has only been found in Central Africa Central Africa is a sub ...
'' Strand, 1913 — Central Africa *''
Aetrocantha ''Aetrocantha'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Aetrocantha falkensteini''. It was first described by Ferdinand Karsch in 1879, and has only been found in Central Africa Central Africa is a sub ...
'' Karsch, 1879 — Central Africa *''
Afracantha ''Afracantha'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Afracantha camerunensis''. It was first described by Friedrich Dahl in 1914, and has only been found in Africa Africa is the world's second-large ...
'' Dahl, 1914 — Africa *''
Agalenatea ''Agalenatea'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Allan Frost Archer in 1951. it contains only two species. it contains only two species: '' A. redii'' with a palearctic distribution and '' A. liriope'', found in Ethiopia and ...
'' Archer, 1951 — Ethiopia, Asia *''
Alenatea ''Alenatea'' is a genus of Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Euras ...
'' Song & Zhu, 1999 — Asia *'' Allocyclosa'' Levi, 1999 — United States, Panama, Cuba *'' Alpaida'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889 — Central America, South America, Mexico, Caribbean *''
Amazonepeira ''Amazonepeira'' is a genus of South American Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi in 1989. Species it contains five species: *''Amazonepeira beno'' Levi, 1994 – Ecuador, Brazil, Suriname *''Amazonepeira callar ...
'' Levi, 1989 — South America *''
Anepsion ''Anepsion'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Embrik Strand in 1929. Species it contains seventeen species: *''Anepsion buchi'' Chrysanthus (arachnologist), Chrysanthus, 1969 – New Guinea, Solomon Is. *''Anepsion ...
'' Strand, 1929 — Oceania, Asia *'' Aoaraneus'' Tanikawa, Yamasaki & Petcharad, 2021 — China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan *''
Arachnura ''Arachnura'', also known as drag-tailed spider, scorpion-tailed spider and scorpion spider, is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders that was first described by A. Vinson in 1863. They are distributed across Australasia, South Asia, Southern ...
'' Vinson, 1863 — Asia, Oceania, Africa *''
Araneus ''Araneus'' is a genus of common orb-weaving spiders. It includes about 650 species, among which are the European garden spider and the barn spider. The genus was erected by Carl Alexander Clerck in 1757. Description Spiders of this genus prese ...
'' Clerck, 1757 — Africa, South America, North America, Oceania, Asia, Central America, Europe, Cuba *'' Araniella'' Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942 — Asia *'' Aranoethra'' Butler, 1873 — Africa *'' Argiope'' Audouin, 1826 — Asia, Oceania, Africa, North America, South America, Costa Rica, Cuba, Portugal *'' Artifex'' Kallal & Hormiga, 2018 — Australia *''
Artonis ''Artonis'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. it contains only two species, '' A. gallana'' from Ethiopia and '' A. bituberculata'' from Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Myanmar, Ethiopia *'' Aspidolasius'' Simon, 1887 — South America *'' Augusta'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877 — Madagascar *''
Austracantha ''Austracantha'' is a genus of spider with a single species, ''Austracantha minax'', commonly known as the jewel spider or the Christmas spider. It is a member of the family Araneidae (the orb-weavers) and is endemic to Australia. They are rela ...
'' Dahl, 1914 — Australia *''
Backobourkia ''Backobourkia'' is a genus of Oceania, South Pacific Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Volker W. Framenau, Volker Framenau, Nadine Dupérré, Todd Blackledge & Cor Vink in 2010. It is a common Australian spider, closely related to ...
'' Framenau, Dupérré, Blackledge & Vink, 2010 — Australia, New Zealand *'' Bertrana'' Keyserling, 1884 — South America, Central America *'' Bijoaraneus'' Tanikawa, Yamasaki & Petcharad, 2021 — Africa, Asia, Oceania *''
Caerostris ''Caerostris'', sometimes called bark spiders, is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1868. Most species are found in south eastern Africa and neighboring Madagascar. Taxonomy The genus ''Caerostris'' was erecte ...
'' Thorell, 1868 — Africa, Asia *''
Carepalxis ''Carepalxis'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Ludwig Carl Christian Koch Ludwig Carl Christian Koch (8 November 1825 – 1 November 1908) was a German entomologist and arachnologist. He was born in Regensburg, Germany, ...
'' L. Koch, 1872 — Oceania, South America, Mexico, Jamaica *''
Celaenia ''Celaenia'' is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell Tord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell (3 May 1830 – 22 December 1901) was a Swedish arachnologist. Thorell studied spiders with Giacomo Doria at the ...
'' Thorell, 1868 — Australia, New Zealand *''
Cercidia ''Cercidia'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell Tord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell (3 May 1830 – 22 December 1901) was a Sweden, Swedish arachnologist. Thorell studied spiders with Giacomo Doria at the Museo Civ ...
'' Thorell, 1869 — Russia, Kazakhstan, India *''
Chorizopes ''Chorizopes'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Octavius Pickard-Cambridge, O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1871. Though it belongs to the orb weaver family, these spiders move through leaf litter preying on other spiders ra ...
'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871 — Asia, Madagascar *''
Chorizopesoides ''Chorizopesoides'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of bi ...
'' Mi & Wang, 2018 — China, Vietnam *'' Cladomelea'' Simon, 1895 — South Africa, Congo *''
Clitaetra ''Clitaetra'' is a genus of spiders in a family Araneidae. It was formerly placed in a separate family, Nephilidae. It occurs in Africa, Madagascar and Sri Lanka, hinting to a Gondwanan origin. a split between ''Clitaetra'' and related genera may ...
'' Simon, 1889 — Africa, Sri Lanka *''
Cnodalia ''Cnodalia'' is a genus of Asian Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1890. Species it contains four species: *''Cnodalia ampliabdominis'' (Song, Zhang & Zhu, 2006) – China *''Cnodalia flavescens'' Mi, Peng & Y ...
'' Thorell, 1890 — Indonesia, Japan *''
Coelossia ''Coelossia'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Eug̬ne Simon Eug̬ne Louis Simon (; 30 April 1848 Р17 November 1924) was a French naturalist who worked particularly on insects and spiders, but also on birds ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Sierra Leone, Mauritius, Madagascar *''
Colaranea ''Colaranea'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by D. J. Court & Raymond Robert Forster in 1988 that are endemic to New Zealand. Description ''Colaranea'' have variable colouration, but are typically brown, red, yellow and espe ...
'' Court & Forster, 1988 — New Zealand *'' Collina'' Urquhart, 1891 — Australia *''
Colphepeira ''Colphepeira'' is a genus of North American orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Colphepeira catawba''. It was first described by Allan Frost Archer in 1941, and has only been found in United States and Mexico Mexico (Spa ...
'' Archer, 1941 — United States, Mexico *'' Courtaraneus'' Framenau, Vink, McQuillan & Simpson, 2022 — New Zealand *''
Cryptaranea ''Cryptaranea'' is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders first described by D. J. Court & Raymond Robert Forster in 1988. Species it contains seven species, all found in New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island cou ...
'' Court & Forster, 1988 — New Zealand *''
Cyclosa ''Cyclosa'', also called trashline orbweavers, is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Anton Menge in 1866. Widely distributed worldwide, spiders of the genus ''Cyclosa'' build relatively small orb webs with a web decoration. The we ...
'' Menge, 1866 — Caribbean, Asia, Oceania, South America, North America, Central America, Africa, Europe *''
Cyphalonotus ''Cyphalonotus'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Species it contains seven species: *''Cyphalonotus assuliformis'' Simon, 1909 – Vietnam *''Cyphalonotus benoiti'' Archer, 1965 – Congo *' ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Asia, Africa *'' Cyrtarachne'' Thorell, 1868 — Asia, Africa, Oceania *'' Cyrtobill'' Framenau & Scharff, 2009 — Australia *''
Cyrtophora ''Cyrtophora'', the tent-web spiders, is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Although they are in the "orb weaver" family, they do not build orb webs. Their tent-like, highly complex non-sticky web is sometim ...
'' Simon, 1864 — Asia, Oceania, Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, South America, Africa *''
Deione ''Deione'' is a genus of Asian Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1898. Species it contains six species: *''Deione cheni'' Mi & Li, 2021 – China *''Deione lingulata'' Han, Zhu & Levi, 2009 – China *''Deione ...
'' Thorell, 1898 — Myanmar *''
Deliochus ''Deliochus'' is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders first described by Eug̬ne Simon Eug̬ne Louis Simon (; 30 April 1848 Р17 November 1924) was a French naturalist who worked particularly on insects and spiders, but also o ...
'' Simon, 1894 — Australia, Papua New Guinea *''
Dolophones ''Dolophones'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1837. Species it contains seventeen species: *'' Dolophones bituberculata'' Lamb, 1911 – Australia (Queensland) *'' Dolophones clypeata'' (L. K ...
'' Walckenaer, 1837 — Australia, Indonesia *''
Dubiepeira ''Dubiepeira'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi Herbert Walter Levi (January 3, 1921 – November 3, 2014) was professor emeritus of zoology and curator of arachnology at the Museum of Compar ...
'' Levi, 1991 — South America *''
Edricus ''Edricus'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below ...
'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1890 — Mexico, Panama, Ecuador *'' Enacrosoma'' Mello-Leitão, 1932 — South America, Central America, Mexico *''
Encyosaccus ''Encyosaccus'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Encyosaccus sexmaculatus''. It was first described by Eugène Simon in 1895, and has only been found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Brazil B ...
'' Simon, 1895 — South America *''
Epeiroides ''Epeiroides'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Epeiroides bahiensis''. It was first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1885, and has only been found in Costa Rica and Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), offi ...
'' Keyserling, 1885 — Costa Rica, Brazil *''
Eriophora ''Eriophora'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. It occurs in the Americas, Australasia, and Africa. The name is derived from Ancient Greek roots, and means "wool bearing". Species Most species now group ...
'' Simon, 1864 — Oceania, United States, South America, Central America, Africa *'' Eriovixia'' Archer, 1951 — Asia, Papua New Guinea, Africa *''
Eustacesia ''Eustacesia'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Eustacesia albonotata''. It was first described by Lodovico di Caporiacco in 1954, and has only been found in French Guiana French Guiana ( o ...
'' Caporiacco, 1954 — French Guiana *''
Eustala ''Eustala'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Species it contains eighty-six species: *''Eustala albiventer, E. albiventer'' (Eugen von Keyserling, Keyserling, 1884) – Brazil *''Eustala anas ...
'' Simon, 1895 — South America, North America, Central America, Caribbean *''
Exechocentrus ''Exechocentrus'' is a genus of Madagascan orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae) first described by Eugène Simon in 1889. It is a bolas-using spider, capturing its prey with one or more sticky drops at the end of a single line of silk rather ...
'' Simon, 1889 — Madagascar *''
Faradja ''Faradja'' is a genus of Central African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Faradja faradjensis''. It was first described by M. Grasshoff in 1970, and has only been found in Middle Africa Central Africa is a subregion ...
'' Grasshoff, 1970 — Congo *''
Friula ''Friula'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Friula wallacei''. It was first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1897, and has been found only on Borneo. Pickard-Cambridge based his description and drawing on a s ...
'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 — Indonesia *''
Galaporella ''Galaporella'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Galaporella thaleri''. It was first described by Herbert Walter Levi in 2009, and has only been found in Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''I ...
'' Levi, 2009 — Ecuador *'' Gasteracantha'' Sundevall, 1833 — Oceania, Asia, United States, Africa, Chile *''
Gastroxya ''Gastroxya'' is a genus of Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it co ...
'' Benoit, 1962 — Africa *'' Gea'' C. L. Koch, 1843 — Africa, Oceania, Asia, United States, Argentina *''
Gibbaranea ''Gibbaranea'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Allan Frost Archer in 1951. Species it contains thirteen species: *'' Gibbaranea abscissa'' ( Karsch, 1879) – Russia (Far East), China, Korea, Japan *'' Gibbaranea bifida'' ...
'' Archer, 1951 — Asia, Europe, Algeria *''
Glyptogona ''Glyptogona'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eug̬ne Simon Eug̬ne Louis Simon (; 30 April 1848 Р17 November 1924) was a French naturalist who worked particularly on insects and spiders, but also on birds and pl ...
'' Simon, 1884 — Sri Lanka, Italy, Israel *'' Gnolus'' Simon, 1879 — Chile, Argentina *'' Guizygiella'' Zhu, Kim & Song, 1997 — Asia *''
Herennia ''Herennia'' is a genus of spiders in the Family (biology), family Araneidae, found from India to northern Australia. It was formerly placed in a separate family, Nephilidae. While two species have been known since the 19th century, nine new spec ...
'' Thorell, 1877 — Asia, Oceania *'' Heterognatha'' Nicolet, 1849 — Chile *''
Heurodes ''Heurodes'' was a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1886. It previously contained three species, ''Heurodes fratrellus'' and ''Heurodes turritus'', both now considered nomen dubium, and ''Heurodes porcula'', ...
'' Keyserling, 1886 — Asia, Australia *''
Hingstepeira ''Hingstepeira'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi Herbert Walter Levi (January 3, 1921 – November 3, 2014) was professor emeritus of zoology and curator of arachnology at the Museum of Comp ...
'' Levi, 1995 — South America *''
Hortophora ''Hortophora'' is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders first described by V. W. Framenau, R. L. C. Baptista and F. S. M. Oliveira in 2021. Species it contains thirteen species: *''Hortophora biapicata, H. biapicata'' (L. Koch, 1871) – ...
'' Framenau & Castanheira, 2021 — Oceania *''
Hypognatha ''Hypognatha'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by F. E. Guérin-Méneville in 1839. Species it contains thirty-eight species: *''Hypognatha alho'' Herbert Walter Levi, Levi, 1996 – Brazil *''Hypognatha belem'' Levi ...
'' Guérin, 1839 — South America, Central America, Mexico, Trinidad *''
Hypsacantha ''Hypsacantha'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Hypsacantha crucimaculata''. It was first described by Friedrich Dahl Karl Friedrich Theodor Dahl (June 24, 1856 in Rosenhofer Brök north of Dahme, Ho ...
'' Dahl, 1914 — Africa *''
Hypsosinga ''Hypsosinga'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Anton Ausserer in 1871. The genus name is derived from the Greek "hypso", meaning "high", referring to the higher clypeus than those of the genus ''Singa (spider), Sin ...
'' Ausserer, 1871 — Asia, North America, Greenland, Africa *''
Ideocaira ''Ideocaira'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1903. it contains only two species, both found in South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost c ...
'' Simon, 1903 — South Africa *''
Indoetra ''Indoetra'' is a monotypic genus of south Asian orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Indoetra thisbe''. Originally described as a subgenus of ''Clitaetra'', it was elevated to genus status in 2019. It has only been found in Sri La ...
'' Kuntner, 2006 — Sri Lanka *'' Isoxya'' Simon, 1885 — Africa, Yemen *''
Kaira Kaira or KAIRA may refer to: Places * Kaira (Lydia), a town of ancient Lydia, now in Turkey In India * Kheda, also known as Kaira, a town in Gujarat, India ** Kaira district ** Kaira Agency, a former administrative unit ** Kaira (Lok Sabha constitu ...
'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889 — North America, South America, Cuba, Guatemala *''
Kapogea ''Kapogea'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi Herbert Walter Levi (January 3, 1921 – November 3, 2014) was professor emeritus of zoology and curator of arachnology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Har ...
'' Levi, 1997 — Mexico, South America, Central America *''
Kilima ''Kilima'' is a genus of Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it cover ...
'' Grasshoff, 1970 — Congo, Seychelles, Yemen *''
Larinia ''Larinia'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1874. Species it contains fifty-eight species: *'' L. acuticauda'' Simon, 1906 – West Africa to Israel *'' L. ambo'' Harrod, Levi & Leibensperger, 1991 – Ec ...
'' Simon, 1874 — Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, Oceania, North America *''
Lariniaria ''Lariniaria'' is a genus of Asian orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Lariniaria argiopiformis''. It was first described by M. Grasshoff in 1970, and has only been found in Russia, China, Korea, and Japan Japan ( ja, æ— ...
'' Grasshoff, 1970 — Asia *''
Larinioides ''Larinioides'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders commonly known as ''flying spiders'' and first described by Lodovico di Caporiacco in 1934. They mostly occur in temperate climates around the northern hemisphere. The name is derived from the rel ...
'' Caporiacco, 1934 — Asia *''
Lariniophora ''Lariniophora'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biolo ...
'' Framenau, 2011 — Australia *'' Leviana'' Framenau & Kuntner, 2022 — Australia *''
Leviellus ''Leviellus'', Synonym (taxonomy), synonym ''Stroemiellus'', is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by J. Wunderlich in 2004. Species it contains six species across Europe and Asia: *''Leviellus caspicus'' (Eugène Simon, S ...
'' Wunderlich, 2004 — Asia, France *'' Lewisepeira'' Levi, 1993 — Panama, Mexico, Jamaica *''
Lipocrea ''Lipocrea'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1878. Species it contains four species: *'' Lipocrea diluta'' Thorell, 1887 — Myanmar to Indonesia *'' Lipocrea epeiroides'' (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) ...
'' Thorell, 1878 — Asia, Europe *''
Macracantha ''Macracantha'' is a genus of Asian orb-weaver spiders recognized as containing the species, ''Macracantha arcuata''., although some schemes also recognise inclusion of ''Gasteracantha hasselti'' in this genus. ''Macracantha'' is notable for the ...
'' Simon, 1864 — India, China, Indonesia *''
Madacantha ''Madacantha'' is a genus of East African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Madacantha nossibeana''. It was first described by M. Emerit in 1970, and has only been found in Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), ...
'' Emerit, 1970 — Madagascar *''
Mahembea ''Mahembea'' is a genus of African Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Mahembea hewitti''. It was first created by M. Grasshoff in 1970 to separate this species from its original genus, ''Larinia''. It has only been fou ...
'' Grasshoff, 1970 — Central and East Africa *'' Mangora'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889 — Asia, North America, South America, Central America, Caribbean *'' Mangrovia'' Framenau & Castanheira, 2022 — Australia *''
Manogea ''Manogea'' is a genus of Central and South American orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi Herbert Walter Levi (January 3, 1921 – November 3, 2014) was professor emeritus of zoology and curator of arachnology at the Museum ...
'' Levi, 1997 — South America, Central America, Mexico *'' Mastophora'' Holmberg, 1876 — South America, North America, Central America, Cuba *''
Mecynogea ''Mecynogea'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1903. The name is derived from the Greek mekyno (μηυνω), meaning "to lengthen", and "gea" (γεα), meaning "earth". Species it contains nine spe ...
'' Simon, 1903 — North America, South America, Cuba *''
Megaraneus ''Megaraneus'' is a genus of Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it c ...
'' Lawrence, 1968 — Africa *''
Melychiopharis ''Melychiopharis'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. it contains only two species, both found in Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portugu ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Brazil *'' Metazygia'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904 — South America, Central America, North America, Caribbean *'' Metepeira'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1903 — North America, Caribbean, South America, Central America *'' Micrathena'' Sundevall, 1833 — South America, Caribbean, Central America, North America *''
Micrepeira ''Micrepeira'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by E. Schenkel in 1953. Species it contains seven species: *''Micrepeira albomaculata'' Schenkel, 1953 – Venezuela *''Micrepeira fowleri'' Herbert Walter Levi, Levi, 1 ...
'' Schenkel, 1953 — South America, Costa Rica *''
Micropoltys ''Micropoltys'' is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders first described by Władysław Kulczyński Władysław Kulczyński (27 March 1854, Kraków – 9 December 1919, Kraków) was a Polish zoologist who specialised in arachnology A ...
'' Kulczyński, 1911 — Papua New Guinea, Australia *''
Milonia ''Milonia'' is a genus of Southeast Asian orb-weaver spiders first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1890. Species it contains seven species: *''Milonia albula'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1899 – Singapore *''Milonia brevipes'' Thorell, 1890 – I ...
'' Thorell, 1890 — Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar *''
Molinaranea ''Molinaranea'' is a genus of South American Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Cândido Firmino de Mello-Leitão in 1940. Species it contains seven species: *''Molinaranea clymene'' (Nicolet, 1849) – Chile, Argentina *''Molinar ...
'' Mello-Leitão, 1940 — Chile, Argentina *''
Nemoscolus ''Nemoscolus'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Species it contains fifteen species, all found in Africa except for ''N. laurae'', found in the western Mediterranean: *'' Nemoscolus affinis'' Lessert, ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Africa *''
Nemosinga ''Nemosinga'' is a genus of East African orb-weaver spiders first described by Lodovico di Caporiacco in 1947. it contains only three species, all found in Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhu ...
'' Caporiacco, 1947 — Tanzania *''
Nemospiza ''Nemospiza'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Nemospiza conspicillata''. It was first described by Eugène Simon in 1903, and is known only from a female found in South Africa South Africa, offi ...
'' Simon, 1903 — South Africa *''
Neogea ''Neogea'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi Herbert Walter Levi (January 3, 1921 – November 3, 2014) was professor emeritus of zoology and curator of arachnology at the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harv ...
'' Levi, 1983 — Papua New Guinea, India, Indonesia *'' Neoscona'' Simon, 1864 — Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania, North America, Cuba, South America *''
Nephila ''Nephila'' is a genus of araneomorph spiders noted for the impressive webs they weave. ''Nephila'' consists of numerous species found in warmer regions around the world. They are commonly called golden silk orb-weavers, golden orb-weavers, gian ...
'' Leach, 1815 — Asia, Oceania, United States, Africa, South America *''
Nephilengys ''Nephilengys'' is a genus of tropical spiders of the family Araneidae, consisting of two currently described species. (The genus was formerly placed in the Nephilidae and Tetragnathidae.) The genus ''Nephilingis'' has been split off from this g ...
'' L. Koch, 1872 — Asia, Oceania *''
Nephilingis ''Nephilingis'' is a genus of spiders in the family Araneidae. 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 na ...
'' Kuntner, 2013 — South America, Africa *''
Nicolepeira ''Nicolepeira'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders first described by Herbert Walter Levi in 2001. it contains only three species, all found in Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part ...
'' Levi, 2001 — Chile *''
Novakiella ''Novakiella'' is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Novakiella trituberculosa'' that has only been found in Australia and New Zealand. Taxonomy The genus ''Novakiella'' was first described by N. Court ...
'' Court & Forster, 1993 — Australia, New Zealand *'' Novaranea'' Court & Forster, 1988 — Australia, New Zealand *''
Nuctenea ''Nuctenea'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Its most familiar member is the Walnut Orb-Weaver Spider, ''N. umbratica''. Species it contains only three species. * '' Nuctenea cedrorum'' (Simon, 1929) ...
'' Simon, 1864 — Algeria, Asia, Europe *''
Oarces ''Oarces'' is a spider genus in the family Araneidae. It is the sister genus of ''Gnolus''. ''Gnolus'' and ''Oarces'' transferred from '' Mimitidae'' by Dimitrov et al., 2012: Suppl. 1, p. 15. Species * ''Oarces ornatus'' ''Mello-Leitão, 1 ...
'' Simon, 1879 — Brazil, Chile, Argentina *''
Ocrepeira ''Ocrepeira'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by George Marx in 1883. Species it contains sixty-seven species: *'' O. abiseo'' Levi, 1993 – Peru *'' O. albopunctata'' (Taczanowski, 1879) – Peru, Brazil, Guyana, French Guia ...
'' Marx, 1883 — South America, Central America, Caribbean, North America *'' Ordgarius'' Keyserling, 1886 — Asia, Oceania *''
Paralarinia ''Paralarinia'' is a genus of Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it ...
'' Grasshoff, 1970 — Congo, South Africa *''
Paraplectana ''Paraplectana'' is a genus of Asian and African orb-weaver spiders first described by F. de Brito Capello in 1867. Species it contains thirteen species: *'' Paraplectana coccinella'' ( Thorell, 1890) – Myanmar, Indonesia (Nias Is.) *'' Para ...
'' Brito Capello, 1867 — Asia, Africa *''
Paraplectanoides ''Paraplectanoides'' is a genus of Australian Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1886. it contains only two species. References

Araneidae Araneomorphae genera Spiders of Australia Taxa named by Euge ...
'' Keyserling, 1886 — Australia *'' Pararaneus'' Caporiacco, 1940 — Madagascar *''
Paraverrucosa ''Paraverrucosa'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Cândido Firmino de Mello-Leitão in 1939 to contain the type species, '' Paraverrucosa neglecta''. Each of the four species have been moved around between '' Wagneriana'', ''E ...
'' Mello-Leitão, 1939 — South America *''
Parawixia ''Parawixia'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Frederick Octavius Pickard-Cambridge, F. O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1904. Most species are found in the Neotropical, Neotropics but one species, ''Parawixia dehaani'', is f ...
'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904 — Mexico, South America, Asia, Papua New Guinea, Central America, Trinidad *''
Parmatergus ''Parmatergus'' is a genus of East African orb-weaver spiders first described by M. Emerit in 1994. it contains only three species, all found in Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, ...
'' Emerit, 1994 — Madagascar *''
Pasilobus ''Pasilobus'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and bel ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Africa, Asia *'' Perilla'' Thorell, 1895 — Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia *''
Pherenice ''Pherenice'' is a genus of Central African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Pherenice tristis''. It was first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1899, and has only been found in Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ...
'' Thorell, 1899 — Cameroon *''
Phonognatha ''Phonognatha'' is a genus of South Pacific orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. It was originally placed with the long-jawed orb weavers, and was moved to ''Araneidae'' in 2008. The leaf curling spider ('' Phonognatha ...
'' Simon, 1894 — Australia *'' Pitharatus'' Simon, 1895 — Malaysia, Indonesia *''
Plebs In ancient Rome, the plebeians (also called plebs) were the general body of free Roman citizenship, Roman citizens who were not Patrician (ancient Rome), patricians, as determined by the capite censi, census, or in other words "commoners". Both ...
'' Joseph & Framenau, 2012 — Oceania, Asia *''
Poecilarcys ''Poecilarcys'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Poecilarcys ditissimus''. It was first described by Eugène Simon in 1895 to hold the single species moved from the now obsolete "catch-all" genus '' Epeir ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Tunisia *''
Poecilopachys ''Poecilopachys'' is a genus of Australasian orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Species it contains five species: *''Poecilopachys australasia'' (Griffith & Pidgeon, 1833) ( type) – Australia (Queensland, New South ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Oceania *''
Poltys :''Poltys'' is also a genus of spiders In Greek mythology, Poltys (Ancient Greek: Πόλτυς) is a mythical king and eponym of the Thracian city of Poltyobria (or ''Poltymbria''; also called Aenus), featured in Apollodorus's account of the story ...
'' C. L. Koch, 1843 — Asia, Africa, Oceania *''
Popperaneus ''Popperaneus'' is a small genus of South American orb-weaver spider Orb-weaver spiders are members of the spider family Araneidae. They are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields, and fore ...
'' Cabra-García & Hormiga, 2020 — Brazil, Paraguay *''
Porcataraneus ''Porcataraneus'' is a genus of Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro- ...
'' Mi & Peng, 2011 — India, China *''
Pozonia ''Pozonia'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by E. Schenkel in 1953. Species it contains five species: *''Pozonia andujari'' Alayón, 2007 – Hispaniola *''Pozonia bacillifera'' (Simon, 1897) – Trinidad to Paraguay *''Pozoni ...
'' Schenkel, 1953 — Caribbean, Paraguay, Mexico, Panama *''
Prasonica ''Prasonica'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Species it contains ten species: *''Prasonica affinis'' Embrik Strand, Strand, 1906 – Algeria *''Prasonica albolimbata'' Simon, 1895 (Type spe ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Africa, Asia, Oceania *''
Prasonicella ''Prasonicella'' is a genus of East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories m ...
'' Grasshoff, 1971 — Madagascar, Seychelles *''
Pronoides ''Pronoides'' is a genus of Asian Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by E. Schenkel in 1936. Species it contains six species: *''Pronoides applanatus'' Mi & Peng, 2013 – China *''Pronoides brunneus'' Schenkel, 1936 (Type species, t ...
'' Schenkel, 1936 — Asia *'' Pronous'' Keyserling, 1881 — Malaysia, Mexico, Central America, South America, Madagascar *''
Pseudartonis ''Pseudartonis'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Eug̬ne Simon Eug̬ne Louis Simon (; 30 April 1848 Р17 November 1924) was a French naturalist who worked particularly on insects and spiders, but also on bi ...
'' Simon, 1903 — Africa *''
Pseudopsyllo ''Pseudopsyllo'' is a genus of Central African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Pseudopsyllo scutigera''. It was first described by Embrik Strand in 1916, and has only been found in Cameroon Cameroon (; french: Camero ...
'' Strand, 1916 — Cameroon *''
Psyllo ''Psyllo'' is a genus of Central African Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Psyllo nitida''. It was first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1899, and has only been found in Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Co ...
'' Thorell, 1899 — Cameroon, Congo *''
Pycnacantha ''Pycnacantha'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by John Blackwall in 1865. Species it contains four species: *'' Pycnacantha dinteri'' Meise, 1932 – Namibia *'' Pycnacantha echinotes'' Meise, 1932 – Cameroon *'' P ...
'' Blackwall, 1865 — Africa *''
Rubrepeira ''Rubrepeira'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Rubrepeira rubronigra''. It was first described by Herbert Walter Levi in 1992, found from Mexico to Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative ...
'' Levi, 1992 — Mexico, Brazil *''
Salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...
'' Framenau & Castanheira, 2022 — Australia, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea *''
Scoloderus ''Scoloderus'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1887. They primarily feed on nocturnal moths using a ladder-type nest, featuring vertical extensions of sticky orbs above and below the circumference of the prim ...
'' Simon, 1887 — Belize, North America, Argentina, Caribbean *''
Sedasta ''Sedasta'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Sedasta ferox''. It was first described by Eugène Simon in 1894, olume dated 1892, this part published 1894./ref> and has only been found in West Africa. It ...
'' Simon, 1894 — West Africa *'' Singa'' C. L. Koch, 1836 — Africa, Asia, North America, Europe *''
Singafrotypa ''Singafrotypa'' is a genus of African orb-weaver spiders first described by Pierre L.G. Benoit in 1962. Species it contains four species: *'' Singafrotypa acanthopus'' (Simon, 1907) (type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing ...
'' Benoit, 1962 — Africa *'' Siwa'' Grasshoff, 1970 — Asia *'' Socca'' Framenau, Castanheira & Vink, 2022 — Australia *''
Spilasma ''Spilasma'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eug̬ne Simon Eug̬ne Louis Simon (; 30 April 1848 Р17 November 1924) was a French naturalist who worked particularly on insects and spiders, but also on birds and plan ...
'' Simon, 1897 — South America, Honduras *'' Spinepeira'' Levi, 1995 — Peru *''
Spintharidius ''Spintharidius'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Eug̬ne Simon Eug̬ne Louis Simon (; 30 April 1848 Р17 November 1924) was a French naturalist who worked particularly on insects and spiders, but also on birds and ...
'' Simon, 1893 — South America, Cuba *''
Taczanowskia ''Taczanowskia'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1879. Contrary to the common name of the group, spiders of the genus Taczanowskia do not build webs and are furtive hunters, deceiving their p ...
'' Keyserling, 1879 — Mexico, South America *''
Talthybia ''Talthybia'' is a genus of Asian orb-weaver spiders containing the single species, ''Talthybia depressa''. It was first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1898, and has only been found in China and Myanmar Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: ...
'' Thorell, 1898 — China, Myanmar *'' Tatepeira'' Levi, 1995 — South America, Honduras *''
Telaprocera ''Telaprocera'' is a genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biolog ...
'' Harmer & Framenau, 2008 — Australia *''
Testudinaria ''Testudinaria'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Władysław Taczanowski in 1879. Species it contains nine species: *''Testudinaria bonaldoi'' Herbert Walter Levi, Levi, 2005 – Brazil *''Testudinaria debsmithae ...
'' Taczanowski, 1879 — South America, Panama *'' Thelacantha'' Hasselt, 1882 — Madagascar, Asia, Australia *''
Thorellina ''Thorellina'' is a genus of southeast Asian orb-weaver spiders first described by C. Berg in 1899. it contains only two species from Myanmar and Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua ...
'' Berg, 1899 — Myanmar, Papua New Guinea *''
Togacantha ''Togacantha'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders found in Africa. It is monotypic and contains the single species ''Togacantha nordviei''. It was first described as a subgenus of '' Gasteracantha'' by Friedrich Dahl Karl Friedrich Theodor Dahl ...
'' Dahl, 1914 — Africa *''
Trichonephila ''Trichonephila'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders that was first described by Friedrich Dahl in 1911, as a subgenus of ''Nephila''. ''Trichonephila'' was elevated to the level of genus (new rank) by Kuntner ''et al.'' in 2019. The genus ''Trichon ...
'' Dahl, 1911 — Africa, Asia, Oceania, North America, South America *''
Umbonata ''Umbonata'' is a genus of Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Ken ...
'' Grasshoff, 1971 — Tanzania *''
Ursa Ursa is a Latin word meaning bear. Derivatives of this word are ursine or Ursini. Ursa may also refer to: General * URSA Extracts (United States of America), a California cannabis concentrate company * Ursa (Finland), a Finnish astronomical ass ...
'' Simon, 1895 — Asia, South America, South Africa *''
Verrucosa ''Verrucosa'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Henry McCook in 1888. It contains almost fifty described species, most of which live in South America. The only species in the United States is the arrowhead spider. Species i ...
'' McCook, 1888 — North America, Panama, South America, Australia *''
Wagneriana ''Wagneriana'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Frederick Octavius Pickard-Cambridge, F. O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1904. Species it contains twenty-nine species: *''Wagneriana acrosomoides'' (Cândido Firmino de Mell ...
'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904 — South America, Central America, Caribbean, North America *'' Witica'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1895 — Cuba, Mexico, Peru *''
Wixia ''Wixia'' is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1882, containing the single species, ''Wixia abdominalis''. There used to be many more, but they have all been moved, dispersed between '' Ocrep ...
'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1882 — Brazil, Guyana, Bolivia *''
Xylethrus ''Xylethrus'' is a genus of Central America, Central and South American Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895. Species it contains six species: *''Xylethrus ameda'' Herbert Walter Levi, Levi, 1996 – Brazil *'' ...
'' Simon, 1895 — South America, Mexico, Jamaica, Panama *''
Yaginumia ''Yaginumia'' is a genus of Asian orb-weaver spiders described by Allan Frost Archer to hold the single species, ''Yaginumia sia''. This species was moved from ''Aranea'' to ''Zygiella'' in 1942, before moving to this genus in 1960. It has only ...
'' Archer, 1960 — Asia *''
Zealaranea ''Zealaranea'' is a genus of Araneidae, orb-weaver spiders first described by D. J. Court & Raymond Robert Forster in 1988. Species it contains four species, all found in New Zealand: *''Zealaranea crassa'' (Walckenaer, 1841) (Type species, typ ...
'' Court & Forster, 1988 — New Zealand *''
Zilla Zilla may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Vittore Zanetti Zilla (1864–1946), Italian painter * Zilla Mays (1931–1995), American R&B, gospel singer and pioneering DJ * Zilla (Godzilla), a fictional film monster * Zilla (band), a trance band ...
'' C. L. Koch, 1834 — Azerbaijan, India, China *''
Zygiella ''Zygiella'' is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by F. O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1902. In 2015, ''Parazygiella'' was determined to be a taxonomic synonym of ''Zygiella'', and its species were moved to ''Zygiella''. Identification ' ...
'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902 — North America, Asia, Ukraine, South America


See also

* List of Araneidae species


References


Further reading

* * * * * *


External links


Spiders of Australia




Arachnology Home Pages
World Spider Catalog


University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky (UK, UKY, or U of K) is a Public University, public Land-grant University, land-grant research university in Lexington, Kentucky. Founded in 1865 by John Bryan Bowman as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Kentu ...

Pictures of ''Mangora'' species


on the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
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Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is a teaching, research and Extension scientific organization focused on agriculture and natural resources. It is a partnership of federal, state, and county governmen ...
''Featured Creatures'' website
''Neoscona crucifera'' and ''N. domiciliorum''
on the
University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...
/
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is a teaching, research and Extension scientific organization focused on agriculture and natural resources. It is a partnership of federal, state, and county governmen ...
''Featured Creatures'' website HOE {{DEFAULTSORT:Orb-weaver spider