Erigoninae

Guides

Carcinocephalus
Carcinocephalus is a genus of dwarf spiders (Linyphiidae: Erigoninae) characterized by distinctive cephalic modifications. These minute sheet-web building spiders are among the smallest arachnids, typically measuring only a few millimeters in length. The genus name refers to the crab-like or projecting head structure found in males. Members of this genus construct flat, sheet-like webs and are generally associated with ground-level or low vegetation habitats.
Linyphiidae Erigoninae dwarf-spider sheet-web-spider microarthropod ground-dwelling-spider cryptic-species
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.
Linyphiidae Erigoninae dwarf-spiders North-America male-genitalia taxonomy adventive-species California spider arachnid
Ceraticelus bulbosus
dwarf spider
Ceraticelus bulbosus is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae. It has been recorded across a broad geographic range spanning North America and Eurasia, including the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Finland, and Russia from Europe to the Far East. The species was first described by Emerton in 1882. As a member of the subfamily Erigoninae, it belongs to a diverse group of small spiders commonly known as dwarf or money spiders.
Linyphiidae Erigoninae dwarf-spider Holarctic-distribution Emerton-1882
Ceraticelus crassiceps
Thick-headed Dwarf Weaver
Ceraticelus crassiceps is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, described by Chamberlin and Ivie in 1939. It belongs to the subfamily Erigoninae, commonly known as dwarf spiders or money spiders. The species occurs in North America, with records from the United States and Canada.
Linyphiidae dwarf-spider sheetweb-spider Erigoninae North-America spider
Ceraticelus emertoni
Ceraticelus emertoni is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae. It is known from the United States. As a member of the dwarf spiders, it is likely small-bodied and ground-dwelling or associated with low vegetation, though specific natural history details remain poorly documented.
dwarf-spider sheetweb-spider Linyphiidae Erigoninae North-America
Diplocephalus
Diplocephalus is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae, first described by Philipp Bertkau in 1883. The genus contains 49 species and one subspecies with a wide geographic distribution. Males of at least some species possess specialized glandular head structures that produce secretions transferred to females during courtship to trigger copulation. The genus is part of the diverse sheet-weaving spider fauna.
spider sheet-weaver dwarf-spider Linyphiidae Erigoninae Palearctic
Eridantes
dwarf spiders
Eridantes is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae) established by Crosby & Bishop in 1933. The genus contains three described species: E. diodontos, E. erigonoides, and E. utibilis. It is distinguished from similar genera by two proposed synapomorphies: the mesal (rather than ectal) position of the paracymbium, and the broadly divided dorsal and ventral sclerites of the largely membranous radix. Species-level identification relies on detailed morphological characters including cephalic lobe height, prosomal pit position, male palpal tibia form, and the convolution of the m-shaped carinae of the female epigynum.
spider dwarf-spider money-spider North-America Linyphiidae Erigoninae Crosby-&-Bishop-1933
Islandiana
dwarf spiders, money spiders
Islandiana is a genus of minute sheet-web spiders (family Linyphiidae, subfamily Erigoninae) first described by J. Braendegaard in 1932. The genus currently comprises 15 described species, with the majority distributed across North America. Several species exhibit obligate cave-dwelling habits, making the genus notable among subterranean spider faunas. The most recently described species, Islandiana lewisi, was identified in 2018 from a single cave in southern Indiana after a 30-year gap in new species descriptions for the genus.
cave-spider subterranean sheet-web-spider microarthropod karst-fauna troglobite North-America Linyphiidae Erigoninae
Linyphiidae
Sheetweb weavers, Dwarf spiders, Money spiders
Linyphiidae is the second largest family of spiders worldwide, comprising approximately 5,000 described species in around 650 genera. Members are characterized by extremely small body sizes, typically under 5 mm, and the construction of flat, sheet-like webs often suspended in a maze of supporting threads. The family exhibits remarkable diversity in male genital morphology, with many species displaying elaborate cephalic projections and modified pedipalps used in species identification. Ecologically, they function as important predators of small arthropods in diverse habitats ranging from forest canopies to snow surfaces and cave systems.
Arachnida Araneae sheet-web ballooning biological-control cave-spiders snow-spiders Erigoninae Linyphiinae microarthropod-predator
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.
dwarf-spiders Linyphiidae Erigoninae endosymbionts Wolbachia Cardinium epigeal agricultural-habitat Belgium genome-resolved-study
Oreoneta
A genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) established in 1894, comprising approximately 30 species distributed across cold-temperate and Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species inhabit high-latitude or high-altitude environments. The genus was revised extensively by Saaristo & Marusik in 2004, resulting in numerous new species descriptions.
Arachnida Araneae Linyphiidae dwarf-spider Arctic boreal Holarctic tundra montane predator cold-adapted ground-dwelling high-latitude high-altitude Saaristo Marusik Chyzer Kulczyński 1894 2004-revision genitalic-characters epigynum embolus conductor palaearctic nearctic Eurasia North-America Scandinavia Siberia Alaska Canada Greenland Kazakhstan Mongolia China Kurile-Islands Finland Sweden Norway Germany Switzerland Italy Slovakia Bulgaria Central-Europe type-species:-Oreoneta-frigida thirty-species 30-species small-spider sheet-web-weaver money-spider Linyphiinae Erigoninae microhabitat litter-dwelling cryptic understudied taxonomic-revision morphological-taxonomy light-microscopy species-description biogeography glacial-refugia post-glacial-colonization endemic regional-endemic alpine-endemic Arctic-endemic boreal-forest taiga rocky-habitat meadow wetland stream-margin snowbed fellfield heath moss lichen vegetation soil-surface stone rock boulder scree talus debris humus organic-layer permafrost polar subpolar cold-stenotherm stenotherm stenotopic habitat-specialist conservation rare data-deficient IUCN red-list natural-history systematics phylogeny molecular-systematics DNA-barcoding COI cytochrome-oxidase 28S 18S ITS morphology taxonomy alpha-taxonomy revision monograph faunistics chorology zoogeography dispersal vicariance speciation cryptic-species species-complex species-group species-aggregate subspecies infraspecific variation polymorphism sexual-dimorphism male female juvenile instar ecdysis molting development growth reproduction mating courtship sperm-transfer spermatophore pedipalp palpal-organ copulatory-organ genitalia epigyne vulva spermatheca fertilization-duct copulatory-duct atrium scape maceration dissection microscope stereomicroscope compound-microscope illustration drawing photography SEM scanning-electron-microscopy habitus dorsal ventral lateral prosoma opisthosoma abdomen cephalothorax carapace sternum chelicera fang leg tarsus metatarsus tibia patella femur coxa trochanter spinneret colulus tracheal-spiracle book-lung cuticle seta hair spine macroseta sensillum chaetotaxy eye oculus ocelli anterior-median-eye posterior-median-eye anterior-lateral-eye posterior-lateral-eye eye-tubercle clypeus fovea pedicel waist constriction color pattern pigmentation melanism albinism size measurement total-length carapace-length carapace-width abdomen-length leg-length leg-formula index ratio proportion allometry ontogeny subadult adult maturity sexual-maturity reproductive-maturity longevity life-span generation-time voltinism univoltine semivoltine biennial perennial overwintering diapause quiescence cold-hardiness freeze-tolerance freeze-avoidance supercooling cryoprotectant glycerol sorbitol trehalose thermal-biology thermoregulation behavioral-thermoregulation postural-thermoregulation activity diurnal nocturnal crepuscular matutinal vespertine circadian rhythm seasonal phenology calendar date month activity-period breeding-season oviposition egg egg-sac cocoon silk web sheet-web tangle-web space-web platform-web dome-web bowl-web funnel retreat signal-line dragline attachment-disc ampullate-gland cylindriform-gland aciniform-gland aggregate-gland flagelliform-gland tubuliform-gland piriform-gland major-ampullate minor-ampullate silk-protein spidroin fibroin sericin glue viscid dry capture-silk dragline-silk safety-line anchor-line frame-line radial-line spiral-line sticky-spiral non-sticky-spiral hub perimeter substrate niche guild functional-group trophic-level carnivore zoophage arthropodivore insectivore prey capture attack subdue immobilize kill feed digest extraoral-digestion sucking-stomach gut midgut hindgut Malpighian-tubule excretion osmoregulation metabolism respiration trachea spiracle gas-exchange circulation hemolymph heart aorta sinus nervous-system brain ganglion nerve sensory-organ mechanoreceptor chemoreceptor thermoreceptor hygroreceptor photoreceptor proprioceptor trichobothrium tarsal-organ slit-sensillum lyriform-organ pedipalp-organ Haller's-organ contact-chemoreceptor gustatory olfactory pheromone semiochemical kairomone allomone synomone communication signal vibration seismic airborne visual chemical tactile copulation insemination sperm spermatozoon median-apophysis terminal-apophysis paracymbium cymbium bulbus tegulum subtegulum radix lamella process apophysis flange hook coil spiral duct reservoir sclerite plate field fossa pocket receptaculum spermathecae gland insemination-duct uterus uterus-externus uterus-internus vagina gonopore ovipositor ovary oviduct follicle vitellogenesis oogenesis spermatogenesis testis vas-deferens ejaculatory-duct seminal-vesicle fecundity fertility clutch-size egg-number hatching emergence ballooning aerial-dispersal silk-dragline gossamer migration movement walking running jumping climbing burrowing hiding refuge shelter defense predation predator-avoidance antipredator crypsis camouflage mimicry aposematism deimatic thanatosis autotomy leg-loss regeneration injury wound healing immune-response hemocyte melanization encapsulation nodule parasite parasitoid pathogen fungus bacterium virus nematode mite grooming cleaning hygiene self-maintenance silk-use web-use prey-capture foraging hunting ambush sit-and-wait active-hunting searching probing testing exploration learning memory cognition behavior ethology ecology population community ecosystem biome biosphere habitat environment abiotic biotic factor temperature humidity moisture precipitation rain snow wind light photoperiod day-length radiation UV soil cover complexity heterogeneity productivity energy nutrient carbon nitrogen phosphorus food-web trophic-interaction predator-prey competition intraspecific interspecific resource partitioning coexistence diversity richness evenness abundance density frequency occurrence presence absence detection sampling collection pitfall-trap quadrat transect hand-collecting beating sifting extraction Berlese Tullgren Winkler flotation sorting preservation ethanol formalin mount slide label catalog database repository museum voucher type holotype paratype syntype lectotype paralectotype neotype topotype original data locality georeference coordinate latitude longitude elevation altitude depth collector determination identification expert specialist literature publication journal article paper book thesis dissertation report checklist online digital archive bibliography reference citation author year volume page figure map table appendix supplementary material methods results discussion conclusion abstract keyword index-term subject topic discipline science biology zoology arachnology entomology evolution phylogenetics biological nature protection management policy legislation restoration monitoring assessment indicator flagship umbrella keystone engineer service function dynamics stability resilience resistance recovery succession disturbance climate change warming glacier range shift expansion contraction fragmentation isolation connectivity corridor network reserve park protected area wilderness urban rural agricultural forestry mining impact threat risk vulnerability sensitivity exposure adaptive capacity mitigation adaptation sustainable use harvest trade economy medicine research education outreach citizen engagement awareness appreciation aesthetic cultural spiritual existence value intrinsic instrumental utilitarian anthropocentric biocentric ecocentric ethic philosophy history discovery expedition voyage survey inventory fauna biota biodiversity life earth planet wildlife animal invertebrate arthropod chelicerate arachnid spider araneomorph entelegyne micryphantid Oreoneta 2004 frigida type-species alpine feeding type-specimen climate-change protected-area
Walckenaeria communis
dwarf spider
Walckenaeria communis is a minute spider in the dwarf spider subfamily Erigoninae, measuring only about 2 mm in body length. The species is notable for the distinctive horn-like cephalic extension present in some males. It occurs across the United States and Canada, including Alaska and Alberta.
dwarf-spider Erigoninae North-America sexual-dimorphism horn-like-projection