Goblin Spiders

Oonopidae, also known as goblin spiders, is a family of spiders consisting of over 1,600 described species in about 113 genera worldwide, with total species diversity estimated at 2000 to 2500 species. The type genus of the family is ''Oonops'' Keyserling, 1835.

Goblin spiders are generally tiny, measuring about 1 to 3 millimeters. Some have scuta, hardened plates on their abdomens. Oonopids usually have six eyes, the anterior median eyes having been lost. However, four-eyed (''Opopaea viamao''), two-eyed (e.g. ''Coxapopha'', ''Diblemma'') and even completely eyeless species (e.g. ''Cousinea'', the cave-dwelling ''Blanioonops'') are also known. The family is permeated with unusual morphological traits, many of which are limited to males. Examples include heavily modified mouthparts (e.g. ''Coxapopha'', ''Xyccarph''), sternal pouches (sometimes alternatively called holsters; e.g. ''Grymeus'') and extensions of the carapace (e.g. ''Ferchestina'', '' Unicorn''). The male pedipalps are also often highly modified. The genus ''Opopaea'', for example, exhibits an expanded palpal patella while male ''Ischnothyreus'' are characterized by completely sclerotized, pitch-black pedipalps. Members of the genus ''Orchestina'' are believed to be able to jump, as both sexes have greatly enlarged femora on the fourth leg pair.

Oonopidae are seldom seen by people as they are too small to be easily noticed. They are generally found in the leaf litter layer and under rocks, but they also constitute a significant component of the spider fauna living in the canopy of tropical rainforest. Three blind Afrotropical genera (''Anophthalmoonops'', ''Caecoonops'', ''Termitoonops'') are exclusively found in termite nests. A few species, such as the pantropical ''Heteroonops spinimanus'' and ''Triaeris stenaspis'', are thought to be parthenogenetic as no males have yet been collected.

Fossil record

Oonopidae are frequently encountered as subfossils preserved in copals and as fossils preserved in amber. Oonopids even occur in more amber deposits than any other spider family, which may be accounted for by their widespread distribution, small size, and wandering behaviour, as amber appears to be biased towards trapping such spiders. In contrast, sedimentary fossils of Oonopidae are unknown.

Most fossil oonopids described from amber are assigned to the extant genus ''Orchestina''. This genus was already widespread by the end of the Cretaceous, as indicated by specimens found in amber dating back over 100 million years.

Genera

, the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera:

*''Amazoonops'' Ott, Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo, 2017
*''Anophthalmoonops'' Benoit, 1976 — Angola
*''Antoonops'' Fannes & Jocqué, 2008 — Africa
*''Aposphragisma'' Thoma, 2014 — Asia
*''Aprusia'' Simon, 1893 — Sri Lanka, India
*''Aschnaoonops'' Makhan & Ezzatpanah, 2011 — Suriname, Colombia, Trinidad
*''Australoonops'' Hewitt, 1915 — South Africa, Mozambique
*''Bannana'' Tong & Li, 2015 — China
*''Bidysderina'' Platnick, Dupérré, Berniker & Bonaldo, 2013
*''Bipoonops'' Bolzern, 2014 — Ecuador
*''Birabenella'' Grismado, 2010 — Argentina, Chile
*''Blanioonops'' Simon & Fage, 1922 — East Africa
*''Brignolia'' Dumitrescu & Georgescu, 1983 — Asia, Africa, Australia
*''Caecoonops'' Benoit, 1964 — Congo
*''Camptoscaphiella'' Caporiacco, 1934 — Asia
*''Cavisternum'' Baehr, Harvey & Smith, 2010 — Australia, Sri Lanka
*''Cortestina'' Knoflach, 2009 — Austria, Italy
*''Costarina'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2011 — Central America, Colombia, Mexico
*''Cousinea'' Saaristo, 2001 — Seychelles
*''Coxapopha'' Platnick, 2000 — South America, Panama
*''Dalmasula'' Platnick, Szüts & Ubick, 2012 — South Africa, Namibia
*'' Diblemma'' O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1908 — Seychelles
*''Dysderina'' Simon, 1892 — Asia, Africa, South America
*''Dysderoides'' Fage, 1946 — Thailand, India
*''Emboonops'' Bolzern, Platnick & Berniker, 2015 — Mexico
*''Escaphiella'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2009 — North America, South America, Central America, Jamaica
*''Farqua'' Saaristo, 2001 — Seychelles
*''Gamasomorpha'' Karsch, 1881 — Asia, Africa, South America, Oceania, North America, Panama, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
*''Gradunguloonops'' Grismado, Izquierdo, González M. & Ramírez, 2015
*'' Grymeus'' Harvey, 1987 — Australia, Sri Lanka
*''Guaraguaoonops'' Brescovit, Rheims & Bonaldo, 2012
*''Guatemoonops'' Bolzern, Platnick & Berniker, 2015
*''Heteroonops'' Dalmas, 1916 — Caribbean, Costa Rica, Mexico, Germany, Africa, Australia
*''Hexapopha'' Platnick, Berniker & Víquez, 2014 — Costa Rica
*''Himalayana'' Grismado, 2014 — India, Nepal
*''Hortoonops'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2012 —
*''Hypnoonops'' Benoit, 1977 — Congo
*''Hytanis'' Simon, 1893 — Venezuela
*''Ischnothyreus'' Simon, 1893 — Asia, Oceania, Africa, Europe
*''Kachinia'' Tong & Li, 2018 — Myanmar
*''Kapitia'' Forster, 1956 — New Zealand
*''Khamiscar'' Platnick & Berniker, 2015 — Madagascar
*''Khamisia'' Saaristo & van Harten, 2006 — Israel, Yemen, Kenya
*''Khamisina'' Platnick & Berniker, 2015 — Nigeria, Kenya, Congo
*''Khamisoides'' Platnick & Berniker, 2015 — Virgin Is.
*'' Kijabe'' Berland, 1914 — Kenya
*''Lionneta'' Benoit, 1979 — Seychelles
*''Longoonops'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2010 — Central America, Jamaica
*''Lucetia'' Dumitrescu & Georgescu, 1983 — Cuba, Venezuela
*''Malagiella'' Ubick & Griswold, 2011 — Madagascar
*''Megabulbus'' Saaristo, 2007 — Israel
*''Megaoonops'' Saaristo, 2007 — Israel
*''Melchisedec'' Fannes, 2010 — Niger
*''Molotra'' Ubick & Griswold, 2011 — Madagascar
*''Neotrops'' Grismado & Ramírez, 2013 — South America, Panama, Trinidad
*''Neoxyphinus'' Birabén, 1953 — South America, Caribbean
*''Nephrochirus'' Simon, 1910 — Namibia
*'' Niarchos'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2010 — Ecuador, Colombia, Peru
*''Noideattella'' Álvarez-Padilla, Ubick & Griswold, 2012 — Madagascar, Seychelles
*''Noonops'' Platnick & Berniker, 2013 — Mexico, United States
*''Oonopinus'' Simon, 1893 — Europe, Africa, Venezuela, China, Samoa, United States
*''Oonopoides'' Bryant, 1940 — Central America, Venezuela, North America, Cuba
*''Oonops'' Templeton, 1835 — South America, Caribbean, Europe, Africa, North America, Georgia, Oceania, Central America
*''Opopaea'' Simon, 1892 — Oceania, Africa, Asia, North America, Panama, South America, Europe
*''Orchestina'' Simon, 1882 — Africa, Asia, South America, North America, Central America, Europe, Caribbean, Oceania
*''Ovobulbus'' Saaristo, 2007 — Israel, Egypt
*''Paradysderina'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2011 — South America
*'' Patri'' Saaristo, 2001 — Seychelles
*''Pelicinus'' Simon, 1892 — Asia, Brazil, Africa, Australia
*''Pescennina'' Simon, 1903 — Central America, South America, Mexico
*''Plectoptilus'' Simon, 1905 — Indonesia
*''Ponsoonops'' Bolzern, 2014 — Central America, Mexico, South America, Cuba
*''Predatoroonops'' Brescovit, Rheims & Ott, 2012
*''Prethopalpus'' Baehr, Harvey, Burger & Thoma, 2012 — Oceania, Asia
*'' Prida'' Saaristo, 2001 — Seychelles
*''Prodysderina'' Platnick, Dupérré, Berniker & Bonaldo, 2013 — Venezuela
*''Pseudodysderina'' Platnick, Berniker & Bonaldo, 2013 — South America
*''Pseudoscaphiella'' Simon, 1907 — South Africa
*'' Puan'' Izquierdo, 2012 — Argentina
*''Reductoonops'' Platnick & Berniker, 2014 — Central America, Mexico, South America, Jamaica
*''Scaphidysderina'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2011 — Ecuador, Peru, Colombia
*''Scaphiella'' Simon, 1892 — Central America, Caribbean, South America, North America
*''Scaphioides'' Bryant, 1942 — Caribbean, North America, Costa Rica
*''Scaphios'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2010 — Ecuador, Colombia
*''Semibulbus'' Saaristo, 2007 — Israel
*''Semidysderina'' Platnick & Dupérré, 2011 — Colombia
*''Setayeshoonops'' Makhan & Ezzatpanah, 2011 — Suriname
*''Sicariomorpha'' Ott & Harvey, 2015 — Malaysia
*'' Silhouettella'' Benoit, 1979 — Asia, Africa
*''Simlops'' Bonaldo, Ott & Ruiz, 2014 — South America, Trinidad
*''Simonoonops'' Harvey, 2002 — South America, Caribbean
*'' Socotroonops'' Saaristo & van Harten, 2002 — Yemen
*''Spinestis'' Saaristo & Marusik, 2009 — Ukraine
*''Stenoonops'' Simon, 1892 — North America, Central America, Caribbean, South America, Seychelles
*''Sulsula'' Simon, 1882 — Algeria, Egypt, Sudan
*''Tapinesthis'' Simon, 1914 — Europe
*''Telchius'' Simon, 1893 — Algeria, Morocco, South Africa
*''Termitoonops'' Benoit, 1964 — Congo
*''Tinadysderina'' Platnick, Berniker & Bonaldo, 2013
*''Tolegnaro'' Álvarez-Padilla, Ubick & Griswold, 2012
*''Toloonops'' Bolzern, Platnick & Berniker, 2015 — Mexico
*''Triaeris'' Simon, 1892 — Asia, Africa, Australia
*''Tridysderina'' Platnick, Berniker & Bonaldo, 2013
*''Trilacuna'' Tong & Li, 2007 — Asia
*'' Unicorn'' Platnick & Brescovit, 1995 — Argentina, Chile, Bolivia
*''Varioonops'' Bolzern & Platnick, 2013 — Central America, South America
*''Vientianea'' Tong & Li, 2013 — Laos
*''Volborattella'' Saucedo & Ubick, 2015
*''Wanops'' Chamberlin & Ivie, 1938 — Mexico
*''Xestaspis'' Simon, 1884 — Asia, Oceania, Africa
*'' Xiombarg'' Brignoli, 1979 — Brazil, Argentina
*''Xyccarph'' Brignoli, 1978 — Brazil
*''Xyphinus'' Simon, 1893 — Asia, Australia
*''Yumates'' Chamberlin, 1924 — Mexico
*''Zyngoonops'' Benoit, 1977 — Congo

Extinct genera

* †'' Burmorchestina'' Wunderlich 2008 Burmese amber, Myanmar, Cenomanian
* †'' Canadaorchestina'' Wunderlich 2008 Canadian amber, Campanian
* †'' Fossilopaea'' Wunderlich 1988 Dominican amber, Miocene

Gallery

Megaoonops avrona (male prosoma).jpg, ''Megaoonops avrona''
Spinestis nikita (female).jpg, ''Spinestis nikita''
Triaeris stenaspis.jpg, ''Triaeris stenaspis''
Xestaspis shoushanensis, female A.jpg, ''Xestaspis shoushanensis''

References

Further reading

*Jocqué, R. & Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. S. (2006). ''Spider Families of the World. Royal Museum for Central Africa''. 336 pp. .
*Penney, D. (2006). Fossil oonopid spiders in Cretaceous ambers from Canada and Myanmar. Palaeontology 49(1): 229–235.
*Penney, D. (2004). New spiders in upper Cretaceous amber from New Jersey in the American Museum of Natural History (Arthropoda: Araneae). Palaeontology 47(2): 367–375.

External links

Goblin Spider Planetary Biodiversity Inventory.
American Museum of Natural History.

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10967

Araneomorphae families