Nocturnal-hunter
Guides
Anyphaena californica
ghost spider
Anyphaena californica is a species of ghost spider in the family Anyphaenidae, first described by Banks in 1904. It is native to the western United States, particularly California, where it inhabits various terrestrial environments. As a member of the ghost spider family, it is likely nocturnally active and hunts without constructing permanent webs for prey capture.
Clubiona pallidula
European Sac Spider
Clubiona pallidula is a species of sac spider in the family Clubionidae. It is native to Europe, the Caucasus, Russia (extending to the Far East), and Central Asia, and has been introduced to North America. The species has been the subject of detailed morphological studies examining its genital anatomy and copulatory mechanics. Unlike some related spiders frequently found indoors, this species is primarily encountered in outdoor habitats.
Drassyllus fallens
Drassyllus fallens is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae, first described by Chamberlin in 1922. It belongs to a large genus of small to medium-sized spiders commonly found in terrestrial habitats. The species has been documented in North America, specifically in the United States and Canada. As with other members of Gnaphosidae, it is presumed to be an active nocturnal hunter.
Drassyllus insularis
Drassyllus insularis is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It was first described by Nathan Banks in 1900 as Callilepis insularis and later transferred to the genus Drassyllus. The species is found in North America, with records from Canada, the United States, and Mexico. As a member of the Gnaphosidae family, it belongs to a diverse group of nocturnal hunting spiders commonly known as ground spiders.
Drassyllus niger
Drassyllus niger is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. The species was first described by Nathan Banks in 1896. It occurs in the United States and Canada. As a member of Gnaphosidae, it is a nocturnal hunting spider that does not build webs to capture prey.
Haplodrassus taibo
Haplodrassus taibo is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae, first described by Chamberlin in 1919. As a member of this family, it is likely a nocturnal hunter that does not build webs to capture prey. The species is known from the United States, though detailed ecological and behavioral information remains limited.
Litopyllus cubanus
Litopyllus cubanus is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae, first described by Bryant in 1940. It occurs across parts of the Caribbean and southeastern United States. As a member of Gnaphosidae, it belongs to a diverse family of nocturnal hunting spiders commonly known as ground spiders.
Marinarozelotes lyonneti
Marinarozelotes lyonneti is a ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae, endemic to the Azores archipelago. Originally described by Audouin in 1826 as Drassus lyonnetii, this species was later transferred to the genus Marinarozelotes. It has been recorded from five islands in the central and western Azores. Like other gnaphosids, it is likely a nocturnal, cursorial hunter.
Mastophora
bolas spiders, American bolas spiders
Mastophora is a genus of orb-weaver spiders in the family Araneidae, commonly known as bolas spiders. These spiders have abandoned the typical orb-web construction of their relatives and instead hunt using a unique method: they produce a single droplet of sticky silk suspended on a thread (the "bolas") and swing it to capture flying prey. Adult females are nocturnal moth specialists that use aggressive chemical mimicry, releasing sex pheromones to attract specific male moth species within range of their bolas. The genus includes 15 species in the United States, with Mastophora cornigera being the only species found in California.
Rabidosa punctulata
Dotted Wolf Spider
Rabidosa punctulata is a ground-dwelling wolf spider distributed across the eastern and central United States. Mature females average 15.2 mm in body length, males 12.8 mm. The species exhibits distinctive alternative male mating tactics: complex multimodal courtship displays with substrate-borne vibrations and visual leg waves toward unmated females, versus direct coercive mounting with grappling toward already-mated females. Females carry egg sacs attached to their spinnerets and provide extended maternal care, with spiderlings riding on the mother's abdomen for approximately three weeks after emergence.
Segestria
Segestria is a genus of spiders in the family Segestriidae. These spiders are characterized by their elongated, cylindrical bodies and six eyes arranged in a distinctive semicircular pattern. The genus has a primarily Eurasian distribution, with some species extending to the Americas, North Africa, Madagascar, and New Zealand. Segestria species are known for building tubular retreats in cracks and crevices, from which they hunt prey using silk triplines.
Zelotes pinos
Zelotes pinos is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae, described by Platnick and Shadab in 1983. As a member of the genus Zelotes, it shares characteristics typical of this diverse group of wandering hunters. The specific epithet "pinos" likely refers to the type locality in the Pinos Altos region of New Mexico, where the species was first documented. Like other gnaphosids, this spider is a nocturnal ground-dwelling predator.
Zoropsis spinimana
Mediterranean Spiny False Wolf Spider, Nosferatu-Spinne
Zoropsis spinimana is a medium-sized zoropsid spider native to the Mediterranean region that has expanded its range northward into Central and Northern Europe and been introduced to the United States and United Kingdom. The species is notable for its wolf spider-like appearance but with eyes more spread out along the cephalothorax, and for its strong association with human dwellings where it finds mild temperatures and abundant prey. It is an active nocturnal hunter that does not build webs. Sexual maturity occurs in autumn, with egg-laying in spring. Climate change and human-mediated transport have facilitated its range expansion.