Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Ray Spiders (Theridiosomatidae)

Family Theridiosomatidae - Ray Spiders

ray spider egg sac - Theridiosoma gemmosum

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Order Araneae (Spiders)

Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)

No Taxon (Entelegynae)

Family Theridiosomatidae (Ray Spiders)

Numbers

This family has only two species in North America, both in genus Theridiosoma.(1)

Remarks

The Theridiosoma genus was once included in the orb weaver family (Araneidae) due to the general appearance of the species, and since they weave a modified orb web. However, they are distinguished from the Araneidae by the relatively large space between the anterior row of eyes and the anterior edge of the carapace (referred to as the width or height of clypeus). Theridiosomatidae spiders have the height of clypeus higher than the distance between the anterior and posterior median eyes. http://www.jorgenlissner.dk/.

Works Cited

1.	Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual D. Ubick, P. Paquin, P.E. Cushing and V. Roth (eds). 2005. American Arachnological Society.

Contributed by Joyce Gross on 14 December, 2007 - 5:22pm
Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott
Last updated 12 March, 2015 - 10:13am

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