Sheet-web
Guides
Agelenopsis naevia
Dark-legged Grass Spider
Agelenopsis naevia is a species of funnel-web spider in the family Agelenidae, commonly known as the Dark-legged Grass Spider. It is found in the United States and Canada. Like other members of its genus, it constructs flat, sheet-like webs with a funnel-shaped retreat where the spider waits to ambush prey. The species was first described by Walckenaer in 1841.
Anapistula
Anapistula is a genus of minute araneomorph spiders in the family Symphytognathidae, established by Gertsch in 1941. The genus comprises 28 described species distributed across tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, South America, and Europe. Members exhibit diverse habitat preferences: approximately 18 species occur in leaf litter, soil, and mosses, while seven are obligate cave-dwellers (troglobites) and one inhabits cave entrances. The genus includes some of the smallest spiders known, with A. ataecina from Portugal representing both the first European record of the family and one of the smallest described spider species.
Centromerus sylvaticus
sheetweb spider, money spider
Centromerus sylvaticus is a small sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae, commonly known as money spiders. The species has a broad Holarctic distribution spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. Adults measure 2.2–4 mm in body length. Two subspecies are recognized: the nominate C. s. sylvaticus and C. s. paucidentatus described from Bulgaria.
Desidae
intertidal spiders, desid spiders
Desidae is a family of spiders with remarkable ecological diversity, ranging from truly marine intertidal species to inland web-builders. The family was historically defined by intertidal members of the genus Desis, which construct air-filled silk retreats in barnacle shells or kelp holdfasts to survive tidal submersion. Modern circumscription includes inland genera such as Badumna and Phryganoporus. The family contains 63 genera and over 320 species, with the majority native to Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Some species have become invasive synanthropes, establishing populations in North and South America, Europe, and Asia.
Diguetia canities
desert bush spider
Diguetia canities, commonly known as the desert bush spider, is a species of coneweb spider in the family Diguetidae. It is the most widely distributed species in its genus, occurring across desert and semidesert habitats from California to Oklahoma and Texas. The spider constructs a distinctive dome-shaped sheet web with a tubular retreat, often placed in bushes or cacti less than 60 cm above ground. It produces a potent insect-selective venom peptide called Dc1a.
Diguetia mojavea
Desertshrub Spider
Diguetia mojavea is a species of desertshrub spider in the family Diguetidae, endemic to the deserts of the American Southwest. First described by Gertsch in 1958, this species constructs distinctive horizontal sheet webs with dome-shaped retreats amid desert vegetation. As a haplogyne spider, it exhibits relatively primitive reproductive morphology compared to more derived arachnids.
Diguetia signata
desertshrub spider
Diguetia signata is a species of desertshrub spider in the family Diguetidae, first described by Gertsch in 1958. It inhabits arid regions of the southwestern United States and Mexico, where it constructs distinctive horizontal sheet webs with central tubular retreats. The species belongs to a primitive spider lineage characterized by simple genital structures.
Diguetidae
coneweb spiders, desertshrub spiders
The Diguetidae are a small family of haplogyne spiders commonly known as coneweb or desertshrub spiders. They are endemic to the New World and primarily associated with arid and desert environments. Members construct distinctive webs featuring a horizontal sheet with a central tubular retreat, often camouflaged with plant debris. The family contains only two genera and approximately 15 species, with the genus Diguetia being the sole representative in North America. These spiders are considered relatively primitive among araneomorphs due to their unmodified female genitalia and simple male pedipalps.
Diplocentria rectangulata
Diplocentria rectangulata is a sheet web spider in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Emerton in 1915. The species occurs across northern regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including North America and Eurasia. As with other linyphiids, it constructs horizontal sheet webs to capture prey. It is among the smaller spiders, consistent with the dwarf spider morphology typical of this family.
Dismodicus
dwarf spiders
Dismodicus is a genus of dwarf spiders in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1884. The genus contains six species distributed across the Northern Hemisphere, with centers of diversity in Europe and North America. These spiders are part of the sheet-web weaving guild, constructing horizontal webs close to the ground.
Drapetisca alteranda
Northern Long-toothed Sheetweaver
Drapetisca alteranda is a small sheetweb weaver spider in the family Linyphiidae, notable for its highly specialized microhabitat on tree trunks. Females measure only 4-4.5 mm in body length. The species is nocturnal and exceptionally well-camouflaged, sitting motionless on extremely thin sheet webs that are nearly invisible against bark. It is atypical among linyphiids in its hunting posture and web structure, resembling ambush-hunting spiders rather than typical sheetweb weavers.
Erigone atra
Post Dwarf Weaver
Erigone atra is a small sheet-weaving spider in the family Linyphiidae, commonly known as the Post Dwarf Weaver. It is one of the most abundant species in its genus, with a holarctic distribution spanning North America, Europe, and Asia. The species is notable for its extensive use of aerial dispersal via ballooning, which enables colonization of agricultural habitats including cereal fields and grasslands. E. atra is recognized as an important biological control agent in agroecosystems, where it preys on crop pests such as aphids.
Linyphiidae
Sheetweb weavers, Dwarf spiders, Money spiders
Linyphiidae is the second largest family of spiders worldwide, comprising approximately 5,000 described species in around 650 genera. Members are characterized by extremely small body sizes, typically under 5 mm, and the construction of flat, sheet-like webs often suspended in a maze of supporting threads. The family exhibits remarkable diversity in male genital morphology, with many species displaying elaborate cephalic projections and modified pedipalps used in species identification. Ecologically, they function as important predators of small arthropods in diverse habitats ranging from forest canopies to snow surfaces and cave systems.
Megahexura fulva
Tawny Dwarf Tarantula
Megahexura fulva is a small mygalomorph spider native to the western United States. It constructs an exposed sheet web with a funnel-shaped retreat in holes and crevices along ravine banks. The species is the sole member of the genus Megahexura, which was formerly placed in Mecicobothriidae but is now recognized in its own family, Megahexuridae. These spiders are among the smallest mygalomorphs, with body lengths typically under 10 mm.
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.
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.
Microlinyphia pusilla
Platform spider
Microlinyphia pusilla is a small sheet-web spider in the family Linyphiidae, characterized by strong sexual dimorphism and a distinctive hammock-shaped web built close to the ground in vegetation. Males actively wander in search of mates during autumn, while females and immature males remain on their webs. The species has a Holarctic distribution across North America and Eurasia.
Oreoneta
A genus of dwarf spiders (family Linyphiidae) established in 1894, comprising approximately 30 species distributed across cold-temperate and Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Most species inhabit high-latitude or high-altitude environments. The genus was revised extensively by Saaristo & Marusik in 2004, resulting in numerous new species descriptions.
ArachnidaAraneaeLinyphiidaedwarf-spiderArcticborealHolarctictundramontanepredatorcold-adaptedground-dwellinghigh-latitudehigh-altitudeSaaristoMarusikChyzerKulczyński18942004-revisiongenitalic-charactersepigynumembolusconductorpalaearcticnearcticEurasiaNorth-AmericaScandinaviaSiberiaAlaskaCanadaGreenlandKazakhstanMongoliaChinaKurile-IslandsFinlandSwedenNorwayGermanySwitzerlandItalySlovakiaBulgariaCentral-Europetype-species:-Oreoneta-frigidathirty-species30-speciessmall-spidersheet-web-weavermoney-spiderLinyphiinaeErigoninaemicrohabitatlitter-dwellingcrypticunderstudiedtaxonomic-revisionmorphological-taxonomylight-microscopyspecies-descriptionbiogeographyglacial-refugiapost-glacial-colonizationendemicregional-endemicalpine-endemicArctic-endemicboreal-foresttaigarocky-habitatmeadowwetlandstream-marginsnowbedfellfieldheathmosslichenvegetationsoil-surfacestonerockboulderscreetalusdebrishumusorganic-layerpermafrostpolarsubpolarcold-stenothermstenothermstenotopichabitat-specialistconservationraredata-deficientIUCNred-listnatural-historysystematicsphylogenymolecular-systematicsDNA-barcodingCOIcytochrome-oxidase28S18SITSmorphologytaxonomyalpha-taxonomyrevisionmonographfaunisticschorologyzoogeographydispersalvicariancespeciationcryptic-speciesspecies-complexspecies-groupspecies-aggregatesubspeciesinfraspecificvariationpolymorphismsexual-dimorphismmalefemalejuvenileinstarecdysismoltingdevelopmentgrowthreproductionmatingcourtshipsperm-transferspermatophorepedipalppalpal-organcopulatory-organgenitaliaepigynevulvaspermathecafertilization-ductcopulatory-ductatriumscapemacerationdissectionmicroscopestereomicroscopecompound-microscopeillustrationdrawingphotographySEMscanning-electron-microscopyhabitusdorsalventrallateralprosomaopisthosomaabdomencephalothoraxcarapacesternumchelicerafanglegtarsusmetatarsustibiapatellafemurcoxatrochanterspinneretcolulustracheal-spiraclebook-lungcuticlesetahairspinemacrosetasensillumchaetotaxyeyeoculusocellianterior-median-eyeposterior-median-eyeanterior-lateral-eyeposterior-lateral-eyeeye-tubercleclypeusfoveapedicelwaistconstrictioncolorpatternpigmentationmelanismalbinismsizemeasurementtotal-lengthcarapace-lengthcarapace-widthabdomen-lengthleg-lengthleg-formulaindexratioproportionallometryontogenysubadultadultmaturitysexual-maturityreproductive-maturitylongevitylife-spangeneration-timevoltinismunivoltinesemivoltinebiennialperennialoverwinteringdiapausequiescencecold-hardinessfreeze-tolerancefreeze-avoidancesupercoolingcryoprotectantglycerolsorbitoltrehalosethermal-biologythermoregulationbehavioral-thermoregulationpostural-thermoregulationactivitydiurnalnocturnalcrepuscularmatutinalvespertinecircadianrhythmseasonalphenologycalendardatemonthactivity-periodbreeding-seasonovipositioneggegg-saccocoonsilkwebsheet-webtangle-webspace-webplatform-webdome-webbowl-webfunnelretreatsignal-linedraglineattachment-discampullate-glandcylindriform-glandaciniform-glandaggregate-glandflagelliform-glandtubuliform-glandpiriform-glandmajor-ampullateminor-ampullatesilk-proteinspidroinfibroinsericingluevisciddrycapture-silkdragline-silksafety-lineanchor-lineframe-lineradial-linespiral-linesticky-spiralnon-sticky-spiralhubperimetersubstratenicheguildfunctional-grouptrophic-levelcarnivorezoophagearthropodivoreinsectivorepreycaptureattacksubdueimmobilizekillfeeddigestextraoral-digestionsucking-stomachgutmidguthindgutMalpighian-tubuleexcretionosmoregulationmetabolismrespirationtracheaspiraclegas-exchangecirculationhemolymphheartaortasinusnervous-systembrainganglionnervesensory-organmechanoreceptorchemoreceptorthermoreceptorhygroreceptorphotoreceptorproprioceptortrichobothriumtarsal-organslit-sensillumlyriform-organpedipalp-organHaller's-organcontact-chemoreceptorgustatoryolfactorypheromonesemiochemicalkairomoneallomonesynomonecommunicationsignalvibrationseismicairbornevisualchemicaltactilecopulationinseminationspermspermatozoonmedian-apophysisterminal-apophysisparacymbiumcymbiumbulbustegulumsubtegulumradixlamellaprocessapophysisflangehookcoilspiralductreservoirscleriteplatefieldfossapocketreceptaculumspermathecaeglandinsemination-ductuterusuterus-externusuterus-internusvaginagonoporeovipositorovaryoviductfolliclevitellogenesisoogenesisspermatogenesistestisvas-deferensejaculatory-ductseminal-vesiclefecundityfertilityclutch-sizeegg-numberhatchingemergenceballooningaerial-dispersalsilk-draglinegossamermigrationmovementwalkingrunningjumpingclimbingburrowinghidingrefugeshelterdefensepredationpredator-avoidanceantipredatorcrypsiscamouflagemimicryaposematismdeimaticthanatosisautotomyleg-lossregenerationinjurywoundhealingimmune-responsehemocytemelanizationencapsulationnoduleparasiteparasitoidpathogenfungusbacteriumvirusnematodemitegroomingcleaninghygieneself-maintenancesilk-useweb-useprey-captureforaginghuntingambushsit-and-waitactive-huntingsearchingprobingtestingexplorationlearningmemorycognitionbehaviorethologyecologypopulationcommunityecosystembiomebiospherehabitatenvironmentabioticbioticfactortemperaturehumiditymoistureprecipitationrainsnowwindlightphotoperiodday-lengthradiationUVsoilcovercomplexityheterogeneityproductivityenergynutrientcarbonnitrogenphosphorusfood-webtrophic-interactionpredator-preycompetitionintraspecificinterspecificresourcepartitioningcoexistencediversityrichnessevennessabundancedensityfrequencyoccurrencepresenceabsencedetectionsamplingcollectionpitfall-trapquadrattransecthand-collectingbeatingsiftingextractionBerleseTullgrenWinklerflotationsortingpreservationethanolformalinmountslidelabelcatalogdatabaserepositorymuseumvouchertypeholotypeparatypesyntypelectotypeparalectotypeneotypetopotypeoriginaldatalocalitygeoreferencecoordinatelatitudelongitudeelevationaltitudedepthcollectordeterminationidentificationexpertspecialistliteraturepublicationjournalarticlepaperbookthesisdissertationreportchecklistonlinedigitalarchivebibliographyreferencecitationauthoryearvolumepagefiguremaptableappendixsupplementarymaterialmethodsresultsdiscussionconclusionabstractkeywordindex-termsubjecttopicdisciplinesciencebiologyzoologyarachnologyentomologyevolutionphylogeneticsbiologicalnatureprotectionmanagementpolicylegislationrestorationmonitoringassessmentindicatorflagshipumbrellakeystoneengineerservicefunctiondynamicsstabilityresilienceresistancerecoverysuccessiondisturbanceclimatechangewarmingglacierrangeshiftexpansioncontractionfragmentationisolationconnectivitycorridornetworkreserveparkprotectedareawildernessurbanruralagriculturalforestryminingimpactthreatriskvulnerabilitysensitivityexposureadaptivecapacitymitigationadaptationsustainableuseharvesttradeeconomymedicineresearcheducationoutreachcitizenengagementawarenessappreciationaestheticculturalspiritualexistencevalueintrinsicinstrumentalutilitariananthropocentricbiocentricecocentricethicphilosophyhistorydiscoveryexpeditionvoyagesurveyinventoryfaunabiotabiodiversitylifeearthplanetwildlifeanimalinvertebratearthropodcheliceratearachnidspideraraneomorphentelegynemicryphantidOreoneta2004frigidatype-speciesalpinefeedingtype-specimenclimate-changeprotected-areaScotinotylus pallidus
Scotinotylus pallidus is a species of sheet web spider in the family Linyphiidae. It was first described by James Henry Emerton in 1882. The species is known from Canada and the United States, with records from Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario in Canada. Like other linyphiids, it constructs horizontal sheet webs to capture prey. The specific epithet 'pallidus' refers to its pale coloration.
Sosippus placidus
Lake Placid Funnel Wolf Spider
Sosippus placidus is a web-building wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, endemic to the United States. Unlike most wolf spiders, which are nomadic hunters, this species constructs thick sheet-like webs with funnel-like retreats. It is described as a habitat specialist compared to its widespread congener Sosippus floridanus. The species is known from relatively few observations (31 records on iNaturalist as of source date), suggesting restricted distribution or specific habitat requirements.
Walckenaeria digitata
dwarf spider
Walckenaeria digitata is a dwarf spider species in the family Linyphiidae, first described by Emerton in 1913. It is a small-bodied spider native to North America. As with other members of its family, it builds sheet webs. The species has been recorded in multiple Canadian provinces and across the United States.