Single-site-endemic
Guides
Nesticus furtivus
Crystal Caverns Cave Spider
Nesticus furtivus is a small cave-dwelling spider endemic to a single cave system in Tennessee. It belongs to the family Nesticidae, a group commonly known as cave spiders or scaffold web spiders. The species has been documented only from Raccoon Mountain Caverns (formerly Crystal Caverns) near Chattanooga, making it one of the most geographically restricted spider species in North America. Its specific epithet 'furtivus' refers to its secretive, hidden lifestyle in subterranean habitats.