Phoroncidia
Westwood, 1835
Mushroom Comb-footed Spiders, cob-web spiders
Species Guides
1Phoroncidia is a of comb-footed spiders in the Theridiidae, first described by J. O. Westwood in 1835. The genus contains approximately 83 distributed worldwide. Members are characterized by heavily sclerotized, often leathery with distinctive sculpturing including folds, humps, spines, or . They are commonly known as Mushroom Comb-footed Spiders.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Phoroncidia: /fɔˌɹɒnˈsɪdiə/
These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.
Identification
Distinguished from other Theridiidae by the combination of a heavily sclerotized, sculptured (with folds, humps, spines, or ) and a sclerotized ring surrounding the . The projecting region above the and short legs with leg IV longer than leg I provide additional diagnostic characters. The leathery, often bizarrely shaped abdomen separates this from the closely related Dipoena and Chrosiothes.
Images
Appearance
Small spiders with males measuring 1.0–4.5 mm and females 1.3–8.5 mm. The features an region projecting above the . are small with a pair of strong hairs. The is heavily sclerotized and often leathery, highly variable in shape, with pronounced folds, humps, strong spines, , or extensions. A sclerotized ring surrounds the . Legs are short, with the fourth leg usually longer than the first.
Habitat
Found in coastal plains and Western Ghats regions in India; broader preferences across the remain poorly documented. Specific microhabitat associations are not well established in published literature.
Distribution
distribution with records from Sri Lanka, India (Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu), and numerous other regions worldwide. The has been reported across multiple continents, though precise distribution records vary by .
Similar Taxa
- DipoenaFormerly included P. flavomaculata, which was transferred to Dipoena; both share small body size and Theridiidae characteristics, but Dipoena lacks the heavily sclerotized, sculptured and sclerotized ring of Phoroncidia
- ChrosiothesFormerly included P. sudabides, transferred to Chrosiothes; Chrosiothes generally have less dramatically sculptured and lack the distinctive sclerotized ring
More Details
Taxonomic history
Two formerly placed in Phoroncidia have been transferred to other : P. flavomaculata to Dipoena and P. sudabides to Chrosiothes. P. quadrispinella Strand, 1907 is considered a .
Species diversity
As of October 2025, the includes 83 and one , making it one of the more species-rich genera in Theridiidae.