Orb-weavers
Guides
Singa
striped orb-weavers
Singa is a genus of small orb-weaver spiders in the family Araneidae, commonly known as striped orb-weavers. First described by C. L. Koch in 1836, these spiders are diminutive for orb-weavers, with body lengths typically not exceeding 6 millimetres. The genus is characterized by its distinctive striped patterning and classic orb-web construction.
Tetragnathidae
Long-jawed Orb Weavers, Long-jawed Orbweavers
Long-jawed orb weavers are a family of spiders characterized by elongated bodies, long legs, and often extraordinarily long chelicerae (jaws). Most species construct orb webs in a horizontal or near-horizontal plane, distinguishing them from the vertical webs typical of Araneidae. The family includes diverse ecological specialists: meadow-dwelling species that camouflage as grass stems, riparian species that build webs over water, and cave-dwelling species adapted to dimly lit environments. Some species exhibit social behavior, forming communal webs spanning extensive areas.
Trogloneta
spurred orb-weavers
Trogloneta is a genus of minute spurred orb-weavers in the family Mysmenidae, described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1922. The genus currently comprises twelve described species distributed across Europe, East Asia, and the Americas. These spiders are among the smallest known spiders, with some species measuring less than 2 mm in body length. Several species exhibit cave-adapted characteristics and restricted distributions, with some Chinese species showing extreme population genetic divergence due to geographic isolation in karst cave systems.
Verrucosa
Verrucosa is a genus of New World orb-weaver spiders (family Araneidae) first described by Henry McCook in 1888. The genus contains approximately forty-five described species, with the vast majority distributed in South America. A single species, Verrucosa arenata (the arrowhead spider), occurs in the United States, ranging from the eastern USA through Panama and into the Greater Antilles. The genus exhibits a predominantly Neotropical distribution pattern.