Museum-genomics
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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.