Cellar-spider
Guides
Artema atlanta
giant daddy-long-legs spider, Giant Cellar Spider
Artema atlanta is a large cellar spider and the largest known pholcid, with a body length of 8–11 mm. It has a pantropical distribution and has been introduced to temperate regions including North America and Europe. The species is commonly known as the giant daddy-long-legs spider. It constructs tangled webs in dark, sheltered locations and exhibits characteristic pholcid behavior of rapid, vibrating movement when disturbed.
Crossopriza
cellar spiders
Crossopriza is a genus of cellar spiders (family Pholcidae) described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1893. The genus comprises 24 species as of October 2025, with native distributions in Africa and Asia. The most widely known member, C. lyoni, has become cosmopolitan through human-mediated introduction and is now found globally in human dwellings.
Holocnemus
cellar spiders
Holocnemus is a genus of cellar spiders (family Pholcidae) first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1873. The genus is distinguished by dark marks on the leg femora and tibiae in both sexes, a trait shared with related genera Crossopriza, Stygopholcus, and Maghreba. As of October 2025, the genus comprises four species, with H. pluchei being the most widely distributed due to human-mediated introduction outside its native range.
Modisimus culicinus
cellar spider
Modisimus culicinus is a cellar spider (family Pholcidae) native to South America that has become established across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide through human-mediated dispersal. It is considered a pantropical, synanthropic species strongly associated with human structures. The species was previously classified under the genus Hedypsilus, which has been synonymized with Modisimus.
Pholcophora americana
Pholcophora americana is a species of cellar spider in the family Pholcidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1896. It is a small-bodied spider found in the United States and Canada. As a member of the Pholcidae, it shares the characteristic elongated legs and compact body typical of cellar spiders. The species has been documented in 392 iNaturalist observations, indicating it is moderately well-observed but not extensively studied in the scientific literature.
Pholcus manueli
Manuel's Cellar Spider, cellar spider, daddy longlegs
Pholcus manueli is a cellar spider (family Pholcidae) native to temperate Asia, with established introduced populations in the United States. The species is expanding its range in North America and has been documented in anthropogenic habitats. It exhibits leg autotomy as an anti-predator defense, with autotomy rates in natural populations ranging 5–40%. Unlike some related cellar spiders, P. manueli does not regenerate lost legs. The species has been the subject of research on locomotor performance across inclined substrates.
Pholcus opilionoides
Opilion-like Cellar Spider
Pholcus opilionoides is a cellar spider species in the family Pholcidae, named for its resemblance to harvestmen (Opiliones) due to its exceptionally long, sprawling legs. The species is native to Europe, Egypt, the Caucasus, and possibly Iran, and has been introduced to North America. Adults are small-bodied with a body length of 3-5 mm but appear larger due to their elongated legs. It is frequently confused with the more widespread Pholcus phalangioides and the similar Pholcus manueli, requiring careful examination for accurate identification.
Pholcus phalangioides
Long-bodied Cellar Spider, Cosmopolitan Cellar Spider, Daddy Long-legs Spider
Pholcus phalangioides is a long-legged cellar spider native to Asia that has become cosmopolitan through human association. Females reach about 7-8 mm body length with legs 5-6 times longer; males are slightly smaller at 6-10 mm. The species is notable for building loose, irregular webs in dark indoor spaces and for its specialized predatory behaviors including web invasion and aggressive mimicry. It preys on other spiders—including dangerous species such as redbacks—and exhibits a distinctive whirling defense against predators. Despite common misconceptions, its bite is harmless to humans.
Physocyclus californicus
A cellar spider species in the family Pholcidae, distributed across the southwestern United States and Mexico. Adults are active during fall months, with males wandering in search of mates. The species frequently occurs in human dwellings, where it constructs webs in ceiling corners and other sheltered locations.
Physocyclus enaulus
cellar spider
Physocyclus enaulus is a cellar spider species in the family Pholcidae, described by Crosby in 1926. It is known from the southwestern United States and Mexico, where it occurs in human-modified environments. The species appears to occupy an ecological niche similar to the cosmopolitan Pholcus phalangioides in this region.
Physocyclus globosus
short-bodied cellar spider
Physocyclus globosus, commonly known as the short-bodied cellar spider, is a small pholcid spider with a cosmopolitan distribution. It is frequently found in anthropogenic habitats including buildings and caves across tropical and subtropical regions, and has been introduced to numerous temperate areas worldwide. The species is characterized by a compact, globose abdomen and distinctive dark dorsal markings. It belongs to the globosus species group within its genus, which exhibits a biogeographical distribution pattern in the Mesoamerican and Mexican Mountain biotic components.
Psilochorus apicalis
Psilochorus apicalis is a species of cellar spider in the family Pholcidae, first described by Banks in 1921. It is a small, long-legged spider endemic to the United States. Like other pholcids, it constructs irregular, tangled webs in sheltered locations. The species is part of a genus containing approximately 20 described species, most occurring in the Americas.
Psilochorus californiae
Psilochorus californiae is a species of cellar spider in the family Pholcidae. It was described by Chamberlin in 1919. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other pholcids, it constructs irregular, three-dimensional webs in dark, sheltered locations.
Psilochorus imitatus
cellar spider
Psilochorus imitatus is a cellar spider species in the family Pholcidae, first described by Gertsch and Mulaik in 1940. It is known from the United States and Mexico. As a member of Pholcidae, it likely exhibits the characteristic long, slender legs and small body typical of this family, though specific morphological details for this species remain limited in published sources.
Psilochorus rockefelleri
A species of cellar spider in the family Pholcidae, described by Gertsch in 1935. The species belongs to a genus characterized by long, delicate legs and small, elongated bodies typical of pholcid spiders. Very little specific information has been published about this particular species beyond its original description and taxonomic placement.
Smeringopus pallidus
Pale Daddy-Long-Leg, Pale Cellar Spider
Smeringopus pallidus is a cosmopolitan cellar spider (family Pholcidae) known for its distinctive pale coloration and extremely long, slender legs. The species builds irregular, three-dimensional cobwebs in sheltered locations and exhibits specialized anti-predator defenses including rapid leg waving, leg autotomy with continued movement of detached legs as visual distraction, and thanatosis (death feigning). Originally described from Africa, it has been introduced to tropical and subtropical regions worldwide including South America, the Caribbean, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Pacific islands. The species reaches body lengths up to 7 mm with females larger than males, and is characterized by purple spots along the dorsal abdomen and a dark ventral sternal stripe.
Spermophora
Dwarf Cellar Spiders
Spermophora is a genus of cellar spiders established by Nicholas Marcellus Hentz in 1841. It belongs to the subfamily Pholcinae within the family Pholcidae. The genus contains 45 recognized species distributed across Africa, Europe, Oceania, Asia, the United States, and Brazil. Members are commonly referred to as Dwarf Cellar Spiders.