Dwarf-spiders
Guides
Agyneta
dwarf spiders, sheet weavers
Agyneta is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) containing over 200 species distributed across multiple continents. First described by J. E. Hull in 1911, these small sheet-weaving spiders are characterized by distinct genital structures used for species identification. The genus has been documented from Europe, South America, and other regions, with new species continuing to be described.
Allomengea
dwarf spiders
Allomengea is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Embrik Strand in 1912. The genus contains six species with a primarily Holarctic distribution, ranging from North America across Eurasia to East Asia. Species occur in diverse habitats including boreal and temperate regions, with some showing broad transcontinental ranges while others are restricted to specific regions such as the Korean Peninsula or China.
Aphileta
Aphileta is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) established by J. E. Hull in 1920. The genus contains three recognized species found in North America: A. centrasiatica, A. microtarsa, and A. misera. GBIF records indicate the genus also occurs in Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway, Sweden).
Arcuphantes
Arcuphantes is a genus of dwarf spiders (Linyphiidae: Micronetinae) comprising 57 species distributed across Asia and North America. The genus was established by Chamberlin and Ivie in 1943, with A. fragilis designated as the type species. Species diversity is concentrated in Japan and Korea, with additional representatives in China, Mongolia, and North America. The genus is characterized by distinctive genital morphology, particularly elaborate epigynal scapes and male palpal structures.
Ceraticelus
dwarf spiders
Ceraticelus is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae. First described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884, the genus currently contains approximately 34 species and two subspecies distributed primarily in North America, with some species occurring in Europe and Asia. The genus definition has been historically problematic due to superficial treatment of male palpal bulb morphology. Recent taxonomic work has clarified diagnostic characters through examination of the type species, C. fissiceps.
Ceratinopsis
Ceratinopsis is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) containing approximately 44–46 accepted species. These spiders are small-bodied sheet-web weavers first described by James Henry Emerton in 1882. The genus belongs to the diverse assemblage of linyphiid spiders commonly known as money spiders or sheet-web weavers.
Drapetisca
sheetweb weavers
Drapetisca is a genus of dwarf sheetweb spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Anton Menge in 1866. Members are exceptionally small, with females measuring 4–5 mm and males 3–4 mm in body length. These spiders are highly specialized tree trunk dwellers that construct minimal, nearly invisible sheet webs. The genus currently comprises approximately 7 species distributed across the Holarctic region, including North America, Europe, Asia, and Japan.
Entelecara
dwarf spiders
Entelecara is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884. The genus contains 21 described species distributed across North America, Europe, Russia, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan, and North Africa. Species within this genus are small-bodied spiders, consistent with the dwarf spider morphology characteristic of Linyphiidae. The type species is Entelecara acuminata.
Epiceraticelus
Epiceraticelus is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) endemic to North America, containing two described species. The genus was established in 1931 with E. fluvialis from the Midwestern and Eastern United States. E. mandyae was added in 2019 from the Southeastern United States. Males of E. mandyae possess a distinctive curved proboscis extending from below the eyes.
Erigoninae
dwarf spiders, money spiders
Erigoninae is the largest subfamily of Linyphiidae (sheet-web weavers), itself the second largest spider family. These minute spiders are commonly called dwarf spiders in the United States and money spiders in England. The subfamily contains over 2,000 described species, making it the most numerous group within the sheet-web weavers. Many species inhabit leaf litter and construct small sheet webs, while others occupy diverse terrestrial habitats from coastal dunes to alpine timberlines.
Frederickus
Frederickus is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) endemic to North America. It was established in 2008 and contains two described species: F. coylei and F. wilburi. Both species are found in Canada and the United States. The genus belongs to the sheet-web weaving spiders, though specific web-building behaviors for Frederickus remain undocumented.
Goneatara
dwarf spiders
Goneatara is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by S.C. Bishop and C.R. Crosby in 1935. The genus contains four recognized species, all endemic to the United States. These spiders are small-bodied members of the sheet-web weaving family, though specific ecological details remain poorly documented. The genus is rarely encountered in scientific literature beyond taxonomic descriptions.
Grammonota
Grammonota is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by James Henry Emerton in 1882. The genus contains approximately 40-41 species distributed across the Americas, from Alaska in the north to Colombia in the south. Species occur in diverse habitats including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. The genus is part of the sheet-web weaving spiders, though specific web-building behaviors vary among species.
Hexurellidae
Micro Dwarf Tarantulas
Hexurellidae is a monogeneric family of mygalomorph spiders containing only the genus Hexurella, established in 2019 based on phylogenomic evidence showing it as sister to all remaining atypoids. This relictual lineage diverged from other atypoids approximately 300 million years ago. Members are among the smallest mygalomorph spiders worldwide (2.5–5 mm as adults), with seven recognized species distributed in the US-Mexico borderlands. The family exhibits strict microhabitat preferences and micro-endemism, making it significant for sky island biogeography research.
Hilaira
dwarf spiders
Hilaira is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884. The genus contains 25 species distributed across the Holarctic region, with particularly high diversity in northern Eurasia and North America. Species occur in a range of cold-temperate to subarctic habitats including boreal forests, tundra, and mountainous regions. Several species are restricted to high-latitude or high-elevation environments.
Idionella
A genus of North American dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) comprising eight described species and one subspecies. First described by Nathan Banks in 1893, with members distributed across the United States and Mexico. The genus belongs to the sheet-web weaving spider family, though specific web architecture and behavioral details remain poorly documented.
Kaestneria
dwarf spiders
Kaestneria is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by H. Wiehle in 1956. The genus contains eight species distributed across the Holarctic region and parts of Southeast Asia. Members are small-bodied spiders characteristic of the sheet-web building linyphiids.
Micrargus
dwarf spiders
Micrargus is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) described by Friedrich Dahl in 1886. The genus contains seventeen recognized species distributed across Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa. Several species form a distinct species group centered on M. herbigradus, characterized by specific male palpal and female epigynal structures. The genus exhibits considerable habitat flexibility, with species ranging from lowland forests to alpine meadows and caves.
Microdipoena
dwarf cobweb weaver spiders
Microdipoena is a genus of minute cobweb-weaving spiders in the family Mysmenidae. First described by Nathan Banks in 1895, it contains 21 species as of 2025. The genus has a nearly worldwide distribution, being absent only from Antarctica. Members are among the smallest spiders, typically inhabiting leaf litter and ground-level vegetation.
Oedothorax
dwarf spiders
Oedothorax is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae, first described in 1883. The genus comprises approximately 39 species distributed across Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa. These spiders are characterized by their small size, typically measuring only about 2 mm in total body length. Males of certain species, such as O. trilobatus, exhibit distinctive cephalothoracic modifications including tumor-like swellings or horn-like extensions. The genus has gained scientific attention due to O. gibbosus hosting up to five different bacterial endosymbionts simultaneously, representing a unique system for studying host-endosymbiont interactions.
Walckenaeria
dwarf spiders
Walckenaeria is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by John Blackwall in 1833. The genus contains approximately 195-198 species as of 2020, distributed across multiple continents. Males in this genus exhibit distinctive eye morphology, with some species having eyes elevated on mounds, turrets, or stalks that can exceed the height of the carapace. Walckenaeria is a senior synonym of several previously described genera including Paragonatium, Wideria, and Cornicularia.