Linyphiidae
Guides
Erigone
dwarf spiders
Erigone is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Jean Victoire Audouin in 1826. Members of this genus are small-bodied spiders characterized by distinctive teeth bordering the carapace. They are carnivorous, preying on small insects. The genus is well-represented in temperate regions with numerous described species.
Erigone blaesa
Erigone blaesa is a dwarf spider species in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Crosby & Bishop in 1928. It is a small sheet-web spider distributed across northern North America. The species has been documented in multiple Canadian provinces and the United States.
Erigone capra
Erigone capra is a species of sheet-web weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Eugène Simon in 1884. The species is known from North America and Eurasia, with records spanning from western Canada to Russia. As a member of the dwarf spider family, it constructs flat, horizontal webs close to the ground in vegetation. Taxonomic status varies between sources: Catalogue of Life treats it as accepted, while GBIF lists it as a synonym of Erigone dentigera.
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.
Estrandia grandaeva
Estrandia grandaeva is a small sheet-web spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Keyserling in 1886. It has a broad circumboreal distribution spanning northern North America, Europe, and Asia. Like other linyphiids, it constructs flat, horizontal sheet webs with a retreat area and an overlying tangle of threads to knock down prey. The species is found in cool, moist habitats across boreal and montane regions.
Floricomus
dwarf spiders
Floricomus is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by C. R. Crosby and S. C. Bishop in 1925. The genus is endemic to North America, with species recorded from the United States and Canada. As of 2019, it comprises thirteen described species. These spiders belong to the sheet-web building family Linyphiidae, though specific web architectures for Floricomus species remain poorly documented.
Florinda
Scarlet Sheetweb Weaver, Black-tailed Red Sheetweaver, Red Grass Spider
Florinda is a monotypic genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, containing only Florinda coccinea. This small spider is notable for its bright scarlet coloration with distinctive black markings, including a diagnostic black tubercle on the rear of the abdomen. The genus was established by Octavius Pickard-Cambridge in 1896.
Florinda coccinea
Black-tailed Red Sheetweaver, Scarlet Sheetweb Weaver, Red Grass Spider
Florinda coccinea is a small, vividly colored sheetweb-weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae. It is the sole species in its genus. The spider is notable for its bright red body with black accents, particularly a distinctive black tubercle on the rear of the abdomen. Despite its striking coloration, it is rarely observed due to its minute size (3-3.5 mm body length) and the near-invisibility of its fine silk webs. The species occurs in grasslands, lawns, and agricultural fields across the southeastern United States, with records extending north to New England and west to Kansas, plus Mexico and the West Indies.
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.
Frederickus coylei
Frederickus coylei is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, a large family of small spiders commonly known as sheet-web weavers or money spiders. The species was described in 2008 and is known from the United States and Canada. As a member of Linyphiidae, it likely constructs sheet webs to capture prey, though specific behavioral observations for this species are limited.
Frontinella huachuca
A small sheetweb spider species in the family Linyphiidae, described from the Huachuca Mountains of southeastern Arizona. The species constructs the distinctive "bowl and doily" web architecture shared with its congener F. communis, consisting of an inverted bowl-shaped sheet suspended above a flat doily-like platform. Known from the southwestern United States and Mexico, with two recognized subspecies: F. h. huachuca and F. h. benevola.
Glyphesis
dwarf spiders
Glyphesis is a genus of dwarf spiders (Linyphiidae) established by Eugène Louis Simon in 1926. The genus contains seven described species distributed across North America, Europe, and Asia. Several species are considered rare, with limited known localities. The genus is taxonomically stable and accepted in major arachnological databases.
Gnathonargus unicorn
Unicorn spider
Gnathonargus unicorn is a small sheet-web weaving spider belonging to the family Linyphiidae. It is the sole species in its genus, which was established by Bishop & Crosby in 1935. The species was originally described by Banks in 1892 and is known from the United States. As with many linyphiid spiders, it is poorly studied and little is known of its natural history.
Gonatium
Gonatium is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) comprising twenty species as of 2025. The genus was established by Anton Menge in 1868 and exhibits a broad geographic distribution spanning Europe, Asia, North Africa, and North America. Species within this genus occupy diverse habitats from Mediterranean regions to boreal and montane environments.
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 capitata
Grammonota capitata is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Emerton in 1924. It belongs to a large family of small sheet-web weaving spiders commonly known as money spiders or sheet-web weavers. The species has been recorded from the United States and parts of Canada including Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario.
Grammonota maculata
dwarf spider
Grammonota maculata is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1896. It belongs to a large family of small spiders commonly known as sheet-web weavers or money spiders. The species has been documented in two disjunct regions: the United States and Costa Rica. Like other linyphiids, it is likely associated with ground-level vegetation where it constructs flat sheet webs.
Grammonota texana
Grammonota texana is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Banks in 1899. It is known from the United States. Like other members of Linyphiidae, it is a small-bodied spider, though specific morphological details and natural history remain poorly documented in the literature.
Grammonota vittata
Grammonota vittata is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Barrows in 1919. The species is known from the United States, with additional records from several Canadian provinces including Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba. As a member of the sheet-web weaving spiders, it belongs to one of the most species-rich spider families. Very little is known about its specific biology or ecology.
Helophora
dwarf spiders
Helophora is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) first described by Anton Menge in 1866. The genus contains five species with a disjunct distribution spanning North America, Europe, and East Asia. Members of this genus are small-bodied sheet-web weavers, characteristic of their family.
Helophora insignis
Helophora insignis is a sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae. It has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning North America, Europe, the Caucasus, Russia (from European regions to the Far East), Kyrgyzstan, and China. The species belongs to a genus characterized by the construction of horizontal sheet webs, a trait that distinguishes Linyphiidae from other spider families.
Helophora reducta
Helophora reducta is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Keyserling in 1886. It is a small-bodied arachnid that constructs flat, horizontal sheet webs to capture prey. The species is known from the United States, though detailed ecological and behavioral studies remain limited.
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.
Hybauchenidium
dwarf spiders
Hybauchenidium is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Å. Holm in 1973. The genus contains four species distributed across high-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including boreal and arctic areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. Species in this genus are small-bodied spiders characteristic of the sheet-web building Linyphiidae.
Hypselistes florens
Peatland Sheetweb Weaver
Hypselistes florens is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, commonly known as the Peatland Sheetweb Weaver. It is found across northern North America, with records from the United States and Canada. The species includes two subspecies: the nominate H. f. florens and H. f. bulbiceps. It is one of the more frequently observed sheetweb weavers, with substantial observational data available.
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.
Ipnista n-sp
Ipnista n-sp is an unidentified species of sheetweb weaver spider in the family Linyphiidae, documented from a single male specimen observed in Door County, Wisconsin. The spider was found during a nocturnal survey of building exteriors in a forested lakeshore habitat. As an unidentified male, it represents an undescribed or unrecognized species within this diverse family of small web-building spiders.
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.
Islandiana flaveola
Unequal Whiskered Money Spider
Islandiana flaveola is a dwarf spider species in the family Linyphiidae, commonly known as sheet-web weavers or money spiders. First described by Banks in 1892, this species is distributed across the United States and Canada. Like other members of its genus, it constructs flat, sheet-like webs rather than the more familiar orb webs. The species is one of at least fifteen recognized species in the genus Islandiana.
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.
Kaestneria pullata
Bog Sheet-web Weaver
Kaestneria pullata is a sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, commonly known as the Bog Sheet-web Weaver. It has been documented across a broad geographic range spanning North America, Europe, and Asia, including Russia from European regions to the Far East, as well as China, Mongolia, and Japan. The species is one of approximately 4,600 described species in Linyphiidae, the second largest family of spiders.
Lepthyphantes
dwarf spiders
Lepthyphantes is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, containing 144 species and one subspecies as of October 2025. Species in this genus are found across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. The genus is notable for its members' adaptations to ephemeral and agricultural habitats, with documented life history strategies emphasizing high reproductive rates and dispersal capabilities.
Linyphantes pualla
Linyphantes pualla is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, described by Chamberlin & Ivie in 1942. It is distributed across the United States and Canada. As a member of Linyphiidae, it constructs sheet webs for prey capture. The species has been documented in 21 iNaturalist observations, indicating it is encountered infrequently in the field.
Linyphantes victoria
Linyphantes victoria is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Chamberlin & Ivie in 1942. It belongs to a family commonly known as money spiders or sheetweb weavers, characterized by their small size and construction of flat sheet webs often with a dome or tangle above. The species is documented from Canada, though specific details about its biology remain limited in published literature.
Linyphia rita
Linyphia rita is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, described by Gertsch in 1951. It belongs to a genus known for constructing horizontal sheet webs, often with a dome or tangle above. The species is known only from the United States, though specific details about its biology, habitat preferences, and precise distribution remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Maro
Maro is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae (sheet-web weavers), first described by Octavius Pickard-Cambridge in 1907. These small arachnids belong to the diverse group of linyphiid spiders, which are among the most species-rich spider families globally. The genus is known from limited records in northern Europe.
Maso sundevalli
Maso sundevalli is a species of sheet-web weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Westring in 1851. Originally placed in the genus Erigone, it was later transferred to Maso. The species has a broad distribution across the Northern Hemisphere, including Europe, Asia, and North America. Like other linyphiids, it constructs flat sheet webs with a retreat and captures small flying insects.
Masoncus
Masoncus is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Ralph Vary Chamberlin in 1949. The genus contains four species distributed in Canada and the United States. One species, Masoncus pogonophilus, has been documented living in nests of the ant Pogonomyrmex badius, where it feeds on springtails. The genus is part of the diverse sheet-web weaving spider family.
Mecynargus borealis
Mecynargus borealis is a sheet-web weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Jackson in 1930. The species has a Holarctic distribution, occurring in northern Europe, Russia, and North America including Canada and Svalbard. As a linyphiid spider, it constructs flat sheet webs with a retreat for capturing small flying and crawling prey.
Megalepthyphantes
Megalepthyphantes is a genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) established by J. Wunderlich in 1994. The genus comprises seventeen described species distributed across Africa, Europe, and Asia. Its type species is Megalepthyphantes nebulosus (Sundevall, 1830), originally described under a different genus. The genus shows a notable concentration of species in the Mediterranean region and Central Asia.
Megalepthyphantes nebulosus
Megalepthyphantes nebulosus is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae. It is one of the more widely distributed linyphiid species, occurring across North America and Eurasia. The species was first described by Sundevall in 1830. Like other members of its family, it constructs sheet webs for prey capture. The specific epithet 'nebulosus' refers to the cloudy or nebulous appearance, likely describing coloration or pattern.
Mermessus albulus
Mermessus albulus is a species of sheet-web weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Zorsch and Crosby in 1934. It belongs to a genus that has become notable in recent research as a model system for studying heritable bacterial symbionts and their effects on host reproduction. Related species in the genus, such as Mermessus fradeorum, host complex symbiont communities including Rickettsiella, Wolbachia, and Tisiphia, which can induce feminization in genetic males. The specific biology of M. albulus itself remains poorly documented in published literature.
Mermessus bryantae
dwarf spider
Mermessus bryantae is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Ivie & Barrows in 1935. Originally described as Eperigone bryantae, this species has a broad native distribution across North America, Cuba, and Venezuela, and has been introduced to the Azores archipelago. As a member of the Linyphiidae, it belongs to one of the most species-rich spider families, commonly known as sheet-web weavers or money spiders. The genus Mermessus is part of an emerging research system for studying heritable bacterial symbionts in spiders.
Mermessus index
Mermessus index is a species of sheet-web weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Emerton in 1914. It belongs to a genus of small spiders commonly known as dwarf spiders or money spiders. The species is native to North America and has been recorded in both the United States and Canada. Like other members of Linyphiidae, it constructs horizontal sheet webs to capture prey.
Mermessus maculatus
dwarf spider
Mermessus maculatus is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Banks in 1892. The species exhibits a broad Nearctic distribution spanning from Canada to Guatemala, with additional records from the Commander Islands in Russia. As a member of the sheet-web weaving spiders, it belongs to a large family of small-bodied arachnids characterized by their distinctive web architecture.
Mermessus tridentatus
dwarf spider
Mermessus tridentatus is a species of dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, described by American arachnologist James Henry Emerton in 1882. It is a small sheet-web weaving spider with a documented distribution across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. The species belongs to a genus that has become notable in recent research as a model system for studying heritable bacterial symbiont communities in spiders.
Mermessus trilobatus
Trilobate Dwarf Weaver
Mermessus trilobatus is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, native to North America and introduced to Europe and the Azores since the late 1970s. It has become the most invasive spider in Europe, expanding across multiple countries within fifty years. Unlike most invasive spiders in Europe, it occurs primarily in agricultural and semi-natural open habitats rather than buildings. First described by James Henry Emerton in 1882.
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.
Micrargus longitarsus
dwarf spider
Micrargus longitarsus is a dwarf spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by James Henry Emerton in 1882. It is a small-bodied arachnid native to North America. The species has been documented in the United States and Canada, with specific records from Alberta and Ontario. Knowledge of its biology remains limited due to its small size and cryptic habits.
Microlinyphia
platform spider
Microlinyphia is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by U. Gerhardt in 1928. The genus includes thirteen species and one subspecies as of October 2025. Members are commonly known as "platform spiders" due to their distinctive sheet-web architecture. Males possess a notable circular filament called an embolus on the pedipalp, a key diagnostic feature.