Cribellate
Guides
Amaurobiidae
Hackledmesh Weavers, Night Spiders, Laceweavers
Amaurobiidae is a family of three-clawed spiders found worldwide, containing approximately 286 species in 51 genera. Members are characterized by possessing either a cribellum (a silk-spinning plate) or being ecribellate, and are often difficult to distinguish from related families such as Agelenidae, Desidae, and Amphinectidae. The family's taxonomic boundaries and internal relationships have been historically contentious, with genera frequently reassigned between families based on morphological and molecular studies. Australian representatives are small to medium-sized entelegyne spiders with minimal sheet webs, while North American species include relatively large, powerful hunters.
Badumna
House Spiders, Black House Spider, Grey House Spider
Badumna is a genus of medium to large cribellate spiders in the family Desidae, first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1890. The genus is native to the Indo-Australian region, with most species endemic to Australasia. Several species, particularly B. longinqua and B. insignis, have become synanthropic and have been introduced to multiple continents, establishing populations in urban environments. The most well-known species, B. insignis, is commonly called the 'black house spider' and has been documented in Japan as an introduced species.
Badumna longinqua
Grey House Spider
Badumna longinqua, the grey house spider, is a medium-sized spider native to eastern Australia that has become a widespread invasive species. It is highly synanthropic, thriving in urban environments and artificial structures rather than natural habitats. The species constructs distinctive messy, ladder-like webs from retreats in cracks and crevices. Females may remain in the same web for their entire lives, while males disperse to seek mates during warmer months.
Callobius
tangled nest spiders
Callobius is a genus of cribellate spiders in the family Amaurobiidae, commonly known as tangled nest spiders. The genus was established by R.V. Chamberlin in 1947 and contains 35 species with a Holarctic distribution spanning North America and Eurasia. Members of this genus construct characteristic tangled, lacy webs that issue from a retreat, often in crevices or holes. They are frequently confused with other cribellate spiders such as Kukulcania (Filistatidae) due to similar web architecture.
Callobius bennetti
Bennett's Laceweaver, Hackled Mesh Weaver, hacklemesh weaver, night spider, tangled nest spider
Callobius bennetti is a cribellate spider in the family Amaurobiidae, known by multiple common names including Bennett's Laceweaver, Hackled Mesh Weaver, night spider, and tangled nest spider. The species is native to North America, with documented occurrences in Canada and the United States. It is sometimes mistaken for hobo spiders due to superficial similarities in appearance and habitat preferences. Like other amaurobiids, it constructs tangled, mesh-like webs and exhibits the characteristic cribellate silk production method using a calamistrum to comb silk from the cribellum.
Deinopidae
Net-casting Spiders, Ogre-faced Spiders
Deinopidae is a family of cribellate spiders known for their distinctive net-casting hunting strategy. They construct small rectangular capture webs held between their elongated front legs, which they stretch to two or three times their relaxed size before propelling themselves forward to entangle prey. The family includes three genera: Deinopis and Asianopis (ogre-faced spiders with enlarged posterior median eyes for night vision), and Menneus (humped-back spiders lacking enlarged eyes). These spiders are sit-and-wait predators with excellent night vision, hunting primarily after dark while resting cryptically during daylight hours.
Dictyna
Dictyna is a genus of cribellate araneomorph spiders in the family Dictynidae, comprising approximately 118 species. These spiders are characterized by their irregular hackled band webs used for prey capture. Some species exhibit social behavior, with females showing gregarious tendencies in web aggregation. The genus serves as host for parasitoid wasps including Zatypota anomala.
Dictyna longispina
Dictyna longispina is a small cribellate spider in the family Dictynidae, described by Emerton in 1888. The species is known from northeastern North America, where it constructs irregular, tangled webs to capture prey. Like other Dictyna species, it possesses a cribellum—a silk-producing organ that generates woolly, adhesive silk. The specific epithet 'longispina' refers to the elongated spines characteristic of this species.
Dictynidae
Meshweavers
Dictynidae is a family of cribellate spiders characterized by their ability to produce hackled band silk. Members build irregular, tangled webs on or near the ground, typically among branches or stems of vegetation. The family comprises approximately 45 genera and 339 species as of October 2025. Recent phylogenomic studies have placed Dictynidae within the marronoid clade, a group of spiders previously difficult to classify due to their morphological similarity. The family exhibits notable ecological diversity, including intertidal species, social species, and species associated with artificial structures.
Emblyna
Emblyna is a genus of cribellate araneomorph spiders in the family Dictynidae, first described by R. V. Chamberlin in 1948. The genus contains approximately 76 species with a broad geographic distribution spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. Emblyna species are small to medium-sized spiders that construct irregular, tangled webs. Two species, E. francisca and E. reticulata, have been documented to exhibit behavioral niche partitioning, allowing coexistence in sympatric populations.
Emblyna olympiana
mesh web weaver
Emblyna olympiana is a small spider species in the family Dictynidae, commonly known as mesh web weavers. First described by Chamberlin in 1919, this species is documented from the United States. Members of this family construct irregular, mesh-like webs to capture prey. Published records for this species are limited, with few observations in biodiversity databases.
Filistatidae
crevice weavers
Filistatidae are cribellate spiders commonly known as crevice weavers, characterized by their distinctive silk-producing anatomy and retreat-building behavior. Members of this family possess a cribellum—an additional silk-spinning organ—and a calamistrum, a comb of curved hairs on the fourth leg used to card silk into a non-sticky, highly entangling web structure. The family includes synanthropic species that frequently inhabit human structures, as well as species restricted to natural habitats such as arid and semi-arid regions.
Hypochilus thorelli
Thorell's Lampshade-web Spider, lampshade spider
Hypochilus thorelli is a relictual spider species notable for possessing four book lungs—a trait shared with mesothele and mygalomorph spiders but unique among araneomorphs. The species constructs distinctive lampshade-shaped webs on the undersides of overhangs in humid Appalachian forests. First described by George Marx in 1888, it serves as the type species for both its genus and family. Its combination of primitive respiratory anatomy with derived silk-producing structures makes it significant for spider phylogenetics.
Hyptiotes
Triangle Web Spiders, Triangle Spiders
Hyptiotes is a genus of small cribellate spiders in the family Uloboridae, commonly known as triangle web spiders. These arachnids are distinguished by their unique triangular webs—rudimentary orb webs consisting of four radii connected to a single anchor thread. They are notable as the only spiders in North America that lack venom glands, relying instead on specialized silk to capture and subdue prey. Adult females measure 3-4 mm, while males are 2-3 mm. Four species occur in North America, with three primarily western and one eastern species (H. cavatus).
Hyptiotes gertschi
Gertsch's Triangleweaver
Hyptiotes gertschi is a cribellate orb-weaving spider in the family Uloboridae, commonly known as Gertsch's Triangleweaver. Like other members of its genus, it constructs a distinctive triangular web—a reduced sector of a typical orb web. The species is one of four Hyptiotes species in North America and is distributed across the United States and Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba.
Hyptiotes puebla
triangle spider
Hyptiotes puebla is a species of cribellate orb-weaving spider in the family Uloboridae, commonly known as triangle spiders. Like other members of its genus, it constructs a distinctive triangular web that represents a reduced sector of a typical orb web. The species occurs in the United States and Mexico. As a uloborid, it lacks venom glands—a unique characteristic among North American spiders—and relies on specialized silk capture mechanisms to subdue prey.
Kukulcania
Crevice Weavers
Kukulcania is a genus of crevice weaver spiders in the family Filistatidae, first described by Pekka T. Lehtinen in 1967 and named after Kukulkan, a Mesoamerican serpent deity. The genus contains fifteen species distributed across the Americas, from the United States through Mexico and Central America to South America. These spiders are characterized by their cribellate silk production and distinctive sexual dimorphism. The most widespread species, Kukulcania hibernalis, is highly synanthropic and has been introduced to multiple regions outside its native range.
Kukulcania arizonica
Arizona black hole spider
Kukulcania arizonica is a crevice-weaving spider native to the southwestern United States, commonly known as the Arizona black hole spider. Females are velvety black with a compact, tarantula-like body form and can live for several years, reaching approximately 13 mm in body length. Males are dramatically different in appearance—pale beige or brown with small bodies and disproportionately long legs. The species constructs distinctive lacy, non-sticky webs that radiate from a silken tube retreat, typically built in crevices on building walls or similar structures. The spider belongs to the cribellate lineage, possessing specialized silk-producing structures that produce entangling rather than adhesive capture threads.
Kukulcania geophila
crevice weaver
Kukulcania geophila is a species of crevice weaver spider in the family Filistatidae, distributed across the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it constructs distinctive lacy, cribellate webs that emerge from sheltered retreats in crevices. The species exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism, with females being larger, dark-colored, and long-lived compared to males. Two subspecies are recognized: K. g. geophila and K. g. wawona.
Kulcania tomentosa
Kulcania tomentosa is a species of cribellate spider in the family Dictynidae. The genus Kulcania was established by Lehtinen in 1967, with species characterized by their cribellate silk production and association with specific habitat types. Dictynidae spiders are generally small to medium-sized web-builders that construct irregular, tangled webs often called 'cobwebs' or 'mesh webs.' The specific epithet 'tomentosa' refers to a hairy or woolly appearance, likely describing the spider's pubescence.
Mallos pallidus
Mallos pallidus is a species of mesh web weaver spider in the family Dictynidae, first described by Banks in 1904. It is found in the United States and Mexico. The genus Mallos belongs to the cribellate spider lineage, characterized by the presence of a cribellum—a silk-producing organ that generates woolly, non-sticky silk used in prey capture.
Mallos pearcei
Mallos pearcei is a species of mesh-web weaving spider in the family Dictynidae, first described by Chamberlin and Gertsch in 1958. As a member of the genus Mallos, it shares the characteristic cribellate silk production common to this group. The species is known from the United States, though specific details about its biology remain poorly documented.
Mexitlia
Mexitlia is a genus of cribellate araneomorph spiders in the family Dictynidae, first described by Pekka T. Lehtinen in 1967. The genus is endemic to North America and currently contains three recognized species: M. altima, M. grandis, and M. trivittata. Members of this genus possess a cribellum, a silk-producing organ characteristic of certain spider lineages.
Miagrammopes
Miagrammopes is a genus of cribellate orb-weaving spiders in the family Uloboridae, first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1870. These spiders are distinguished by their reduced eye complement—retaining only four of the original eight eyes—and their highly modified web-building behavior. Rather than constructing traditional orb webs, they spin single horizontal threads with viscid capture silk, employing a unique hunting strategy of maintaining tension and releasing the line with a snap to entangle prey. The genus currently includes 71 recognized species and is distributed across tropical and subtropical regions.
Miagrammopes mexicanus
Miagrammopes mexicanus is a species of cribellate orb-weaving spider in the family Uloboridae. It was described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1893. The species is known from the United States and Mexico. Like other members of its genus, it possesses a cribellum—a silk-producing organ that generates extremely fine, dry silk used in prey capture.
Nigma
Nigma is a genus of cribellate araneomorph spiders in the family Dictynidae, established by Pekka T. Lehtinen in 1967. The genus contains approximately fourteen species distributed across Eurasia, North America, and Northern Africa. Members are generally small, with N. walckenaeri being among the largest in the family at up to 5 mm body length. The genus is part of the marronoid spider group, which has been subject to recent phylogenetic revision using genetic data from museum specimens.
Octonoba
Octonoba is a genus of cribellate orb-weaving spiders in the family Uloboridae, established in 1979. The genus comprises 33 described species distributed across East Asia, with highest diversity in China, Japan, and Taiwan. Members are characterized by a carapace length exceeding 1.4 mm, distinguishing them from the related genus Purumitra. One species, O. sinensis, has been introduced to the United States.
Octonoba sinensis
Octonoba sinensis is a cribellate orb-weaving spider in the family Uloboridae. Native to East Asia, it has been introduced to the United States. As a member of Uloboridae, it lacks venom glands and instead uses a cribellum—a specialized silk-producing organ—to create sticky capture threads.
Oecobiidae
disc web spiders, flatmesh weavers, wall spiders
Oecobiidae is a family of araneomorph spiders containing approximately 130 described species across seven genera. Members are small to moderately sized (2–20 mm body length) and are commonly known as disc web spiders or wall spiders due to their characteristic flat, star-shaped webs constructed on vertical surfaces. The family exhibits distinctive morphological traits including evenly radiating leg placement around the prosoma and a characteristic anal gland bearing a tuft of long hairs. Many species are synanthropic, occurring in and around human dwellings, while others inhabit desert or rocky environments.
Oecobius navus
wall spider, baseboard spider, stucco spider
A small cribellate spider, 2–2.5 mm in body length, native to Europe and Northern Africa but introduced globally. Builds flat, circular webs with lateral openings on artificial structures. Uses an unusual hunting method: running around prey to entangle it in sticky silk ribbons from the anal tubule and spinnerets before biting.
Philoponella arizonica
Philoponella arizonica is a species of crevice weaver spider in the family Uloboridae, first described by Gertsch in 1936. The species occurs in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Like other members of the genus Philoponella, it constructs characteristic sprawling, lacy cribellate webs that issue from retreats in crevices and sheltered locations. Females are notably long-lived and continue to molt after reaching sexual maturity, a trait shared only with mygalomorph spiders among arachnids.
Philoponella oweni
Philoponella oweni is a small cribellate orb-weaver spider (4.7–7.1 mm) found in arid regions of the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. The species exhibits facultative semi-social behavior, with females living either solitarily or in communal groups of 2–40 individuals depending on web-site availability and prey abundance. Despite communal living, individuals do not cooperate in prey capture, web construction, or brood care. Communal females benefit from higher feeding rates and greater egg production, but suffer increased parasitism by pteromalid wasps, resulting in equivalent net reproductive success between strategies.
Saltonia
Saltonia is a monotypic genus of North American cribellate araneomorph spiders containing the single species Saltonia incerta. The genus was first described in 1942 and has undergone several taxonomic revisions, most recently moved to the family Argyronetidae in 2025. It represents a rare relict lineage restricted to hypersaline desert habitats in southwestern North America.
Thallumetus
Thallumetus is a genus of cribellate araneomorph spiders established by Eugène Simon in 1893. It contains ten species distributed across the Neotropical region, from the southern United States through Central America to South America. The genus is characterized by the presence of a cribellum, a silk-producing structure used to produce hackled silk for prey capture.
Titanoeca
Titanoeca is a genus of cribellate-web spiders in the family Titanoecidae, established by Thorell in 1870. The genus comprises 31 species as of January 2026, distributed primarily across Eurasia with notable exceptions: three species endemic to North America (T. americana, T. brunnea, T. nigrella), one holarctic species (T. nivalis), and one Ecuadorian endemic (T. guayaquilensis). Members construct cribellate webs and exhibit conditional foraging behavior.
Titanoeca americana
Titanoeca americana is a species of true spider in the family Titanoecidae, first described by Emerton in 1888. It is one of several species in the genus Titanoeca, which are small to medium-sized spiders characterized by their cribellate silk production. The species is known from North America, with records from the United States.
Titanoecidae
Rock Weavers
Titanoecidae is a family of cribellate spiders comprising five genera and approximately 67 species. Members are primarily dark-colored web-builders that construct woolly, cribellate silk webs. The family occurs across the New World and Eurasia, with several species inhabiting high-altitude mountain environments where they can achieve high local abundance. The family was elevated from Amaurobiidae by Lehtinen in 1967.
Tivyna
Tivyna is a genus of cribellate araneomorph spiders in the family Dictynidae, established by R. V. Chamberlin in 1948. The genus contains four species, all but one restricted to the United States. One species, T. spatula, has a broader Caribbean distribution including Mexico, Cuba, and the Bahamas. These spiders are characterized by the presence of a cribellum, a silk-producing organ used to create woolly, non-sticky capture silk.
Tricholathys monterea
Tricholathys monterea is a small spider in the family Dictynidae, first described from specimens collected in California in 1958. The genus Tricholathys comprises North American cribellate spiders that construct irregular, tangled webs. This species is poorly documented in scientific literature, with minimal published information on its biology or ecology.
Uloboridae
hackled orb weavers, cribellate orb weavers
Uloboridae is a family of spiders distinguished by their lack of venom glands, a secondarily evolved trait unique among arachnids. Instead of venom, they subdue prey through extensive silk wrapping and compression, followed by external digestion using regurgitated enzymes. Members of this family are known as cribellate orb weavers, producing specialized silk from an additional spinning organ called the cribellum, which is combed into tangled, non-sticky capture threads. The family includes both traditional orb web builders and species with reduced web structures, such as the triangle spiders of genus Hyptiotes.
Uloborus
Feather-legged Spiders, Featherlegged Orb-weavers, Hackled Band Orb-weavers
Uloborus is a genus of cribellate orb-weaving spiders in the family Uloboridae, comprising approximately 72 described species. These small spiders (3–6 mm body length) are unique among orb-weavers in lacking venom glands entirely, instead relying on constriction and digestive enzymes to subdue prey. They construct small horizontal orb-webs with hackled, non-sticky silk produced by a specialized cribellum organ, often incorporating a stabilimentum—a thickened linear or zigzag silk band at the web hub. The genus is predominantly tropical and subtropical in distribution, with only a few species extending into temperate North America and Europe.
Uloborus campestratus
Featherlegged Orb-weaver, Hackled Band Orb-weaver
Uloborus campestratus is a small cribellate orb-weaving spider in the family Uloboridae. It is one of five Uloborus species in North America, distributed from the United States to Venezuela. Like all uloborids, it lacks venom glands and subdues prey through extensive silk wrapping and constriction rather than venomous bites. The species builds small horizontal orb webs with hackled, non-sticky capture threads produced by its cribellum and fluffed using a calamistrum comb on its hind legs.
Uloborus diversus
hackled orb-weaver, featherlegged orb-weaver
Uloborus diversus is a cribellate orb-weaving spider in the family Uloboridae. It inhabits desert regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico. The species is one of few North American spiders that lack venom glands, instead subduing prey through silk constriction. It has become an important model organism for studying the evolution of spidroins (spider silk proteins) and the neurobiology of orb-web construction behavior. A chromosome-level genome assembly has been completed to support this research.
Uloborus glomosus
Featherlegged Orbweaver
Uloborus glomosus is a small cribellate orb-weaving spider and the only member of its genus recorded in Canada. It belongs to the family Uloboridae, a group distinguished by the absence of venom glands. The species captures prey using hackled, non-sticky silk produced by a specialized spinning organ called the cribellum. Prey is subdued through extensive wrapping and constriction rather than venomous bite.
Zoropsidae
False Wolf Spiders
Zoropsidae, commonly known as false wolf spiders, is a family of cribellate araneomorph spiders first described by Philipp Bertkau in 1882. The family includes approximately 180 species across 28 genera as of 2026. Members are wandering spiders that bear superficial resemblance to wolf spiders (Lycosidae) but are distinguished by their eye arrangement. The family has undergone taxonomic revision, with Tengellidae and Zorocratidae now included within Zoropsidae. One species, Zoropsis spinimana, has been introduced to the United States.