Long-jawed
Guides
Azilia
long-jawed orb-weavers
Azilia is a genus of long-jawed orb-weavers in the spider family Tetragnathidae, first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1881. It is a senior synonym of Cardimia. The genus contains eleven recognized species distributed across the Americas, from the southern United States through Central America to South America, plus the Caribbean islands of Cuba and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Dolichognatha
Dolichognatha is a genus of long-jawed orb-weaving spiders in the family Tetragnathidae, distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The genus was established by Octavius Pickard-Cambridge in 1869 and has undergone several taxonomic revisions, having been placed in Archaeidae, then Araneidae, before its current placement in Tetragnathidae. It contains 32 recognized species found across Africa, Asia, the Americas, and the Pacific.
Tetragnatha
Stretch Spiders, Long-jawed Orb Weavers
Tetragnatha is a large genus of long-jawed orb-weaving spiders with hundreds of species distributed worldwide, though most occur in tropical and subtropical regions. These spiders are characterized by their elongated bodies, extremely long legs, and notably elongated chelicerae (jaws) with well-developed teeth. They construct horizontal orb webs, often near water, and many species can run across water surfaces. The genus exhibits remarkable variation in dispersal ability, with some species being excellent dispersers capable of colonizing islands, while others appear to have secondarily lost this capacity. Hawaiian Tetragnatha species have undergone adaptive radiation, with some lineages evolving cursorial (running) behavior and abandoning web-building entirely.
spiderorb-weaverlong-jawedaquaticstretch-spideradaptive-radiationHawaiicursorial-evolutionhorizontal-webwater-walkingcamouflagemultivoltinesocial-spiderTetragnathidaeAraneaeArachnidapredatorinsectivoreriparianwetlandmeadowtropicalsubtropicalcosmopolitandispersalisland-colonizationphylogeographychemical-species-recognitioncommunal-webbingkleptoparasitism-targetTetragnatha caudata
tailed long-jawed orbweaver
Tetragnatha caudata is a species of long-jawed orb-weaving spider in the family Tetragnathidae. The species is characterized by its elongated body form and exceptionally long chelicerae, traits shared with other members of the genus Tetragnatha. It occurs across a broad geographic range in the Americas and Caribbean. Like other tetragnathids, it constructs orb webs in a horizontal or near-horizontal orientation.
Tetragnatha dearmata
Tetragnatha dearmata is a species of long-jawed orb weaver spider in the family Tetragnathidae. The species was described by Thorell in 1873 and has a transcontinental distribution spanning North America and Eurasia. Like other members of the genus Tetragnatha, it possesses characteristically elongated chelicerae and a slender body form adapted for camouflage in vegetation. Specific details of its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the available literature.
Tetragnatha extensa
Common Stretch Spider
Tetragnatha extensa is a long-jawed orb-weaver spider with a Holarctic distribution. It is characterized by an extremely elongated body and legs, with females reaching up to 11 mm in body length. The species constructs horizontal orb webs in damp, vegetated habitats and exhibits a distinctive straight-line defensive posture when alarmed. It is the most common species of Tetragnatha in the United Kingdom and among the most frequently encountered long-jawed orb weavers across its range.
Tetragnatha laboriosa
Silver Long-jawed Orbweaver
Tetragnatha laboriosa is a long-jawed orb-weaving spider in the family Tetragnathidae, commonly known as the silver long-jawed orbweaver. It occurs across North and Central America with records extending from Alaska to southern South America. The species passes through nine instars before reaching adulthood. Activity is predominantly crepuscular, with mating occurring at night.
Tetragnatha nitens
Nitens long-jawed spider
Tetragnatha nitens is a long-jawed orb weaver spider with a cosmotropical distribution spanning tropical and subtropical Asia, where it is native, and numerous introduced regions including the Americas, Macaronesia, Mediterranean Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Pacific islands, and New Zealand. The species constructs horizontal orb webs in vegetation and has demonstrated ecological adaptability across diverse biomes including Fynbos, Grassland, Savanna, and Thicket. Listed as Least Concern due to its wide geographic range and presence in multiple protected areas.