Table of Contents
Foreword vii
Acknowledgments viii
1 The Wonderful World of Spidering 1
What Is a Spider? 2
Key to the Extant (not Extinct) Arachnids 2
How to Separate the Mygalomorphae from the Araneomorphae 7
Spider Anatomy 8
Where Do Spiders Live? 12
Observing Spiders 13
Spider Life History 19
What Are the Benefits of Having Spiders Around? 26
Introduced Species 33
Are Spiders Venomous or Poisonous? 33
Spider Bites and Potentially Dangerous Venom 34
Online Resources 35
A Quick Word about Common Names 35
How to Identify Spiders 36
2 The Sensing Web Weaver Guild 39
Family: Antrodiaetidae (foldingdoor spiders) 41
Family: Atypidae (purseweb spiders) 44
Family: Euctenizidae (waferlid trapdoor spiders) 46
Family: Halonoproctidae (corklid trapdoor spiders) 49
Family: Nemesiidae (velveteen tarantulas) 52
Family: Theraphosidae (tarantulas) 53
Family: Filistatidae (crevice weavers) 54
Family: Hersiliidae (longspinneret spiders) 57
Family: Oecobiidae (flatmesh weavers) 58
Family: Segestriidae (tunnel spiders) 59
3 The Sheet Web Weaver Guild 61
Family: Euagridae (American funnelweb spiders) 65
Family: Hexurellidae (dwarf funnelweb spiders) 66
Family: Megahexuridae (ravine funnelweb spiders) 67
Family: Mfcrohexuridae (tiny funnelweb spiders) 68
Family: Agelenidae (funnel weaver) 69
Family: Amaurobiidae (hackledmesh weavers) 79
Family: Cybaeidae (soft spiders) 84
Family: Desidae (saltwater spiders) 89
Family: Hahniidae (combtail spiders) 91
Family: Linyphiidae (dwarf sheetweb weavers and sheetweb weavers) 97
Family: Ochyroceratidae (tiny ground weavers) 120
Family: Pimoidae (large hammockweb spiders) 121
Family: Telemidae (longlegged cave spiders) 122
4 The Orb Web Weaver Guild 124
Family: Anapidae (ground orbweavers) 125
Family: Araneidae (orbweavers) 127
Family: Symphytognathidae (dwarf orbweavers) 190
Family: Tetragnathidae (longjawed orbweavers) 191
Family: Theridiosomatidae (ray orbweavers) 208
Family: Uloboridae (hackled orbweavers) 211
5 The Space Web Weaver Guild 216
Family: Dictynidae (meshweavers) 219
Family: Diguetidae (desertshrub spiders) 226
Family: Hypochilidae (lampshade weavers) 228
Family: Leptonetidae (tiny cave spiders) 229
Family: Mysmenidae (dwarf cobweb weavers) 232
Family: Nesticidae (cave cobweb spiders) 234
Family: Pholcidae (cellar spiders or daddylongleg spiders) 236
Family: Theridiidae (cobweb weavers) 242
Family: Titanoecidae (rock weavers) 294
Family Trogloraptoridae (longclawed cave spiders) 295
6 The Ambush Hunter Guild 297
Family Deinopidae (netcasting spiders) 298
Family: Selenopidae (flatties) 300
Family: Sicariidae (sixeyed brown spiders) 302
Family: Thomisidae (crab spiders) 307
7 The Ground Active Hunter Guild 327
Family: Corinnidae (antlike runners) 331
Family: Dysderidae (woodlouse spiders) 339
Family: Gnaphosidae (stealthy ground spiders) 341
Family: Homalonychidae (dusty desert spiders) 358
Family: Liocranidae (spinylegged sac spiders) 360
Family: Lycosidae (wolf spiders) 362
Family: Myrmecicultoridae (antcolony spiders) 405
Family: Oonopidae (goblin spiders) 406
Family: Phrurolithidae (dwarf antrunner spiders) 409
Family: Plectreuridae (spurlipped spiders) 414
Family: Trachelidae (cuspuled spiders) 416
Family: Zodariidae (igloo spiders) 420
8 The Other Active Hunter Guild 423
Family: Anyphaenidae (ghost spiders) 427
Family: Cheiracanihiidae (yellow sac spiders) 435
Family: Clubionidae (sac spiders) 439
Family. Ctenidae (wandering spiders) 444
Family: Miturgidae (prowling spiders) 447
Family: Oxyopidae (lynx spiders) 449
Family: Philodromidae (running crab spiders) 458
Family: Pisauridae (nurseryweb spiders) 470
Family: Salticidae (jumping spiders) 481
Family: Scytodidae (spitting spiders) 572
Family: Sparassidae (giant crab spiders) 575
Family: Trechaleidae (longlegged water spiders) 579
Family: Zoropsidae (false wolf spiders) 581
9 The Spider Hunter Guild 584
Family: Caponiidae (bright lungless spiders) 585
Family: Cithaeronidae (running spider hunters) 587
Family: Mimetidae (pirate spiders) 588
Glossary 595
References 602
Index 603