cobweb spiders
(Thymoites spp.)
Overview • Description • Distribution • Taxonomy
Overview |
|
|||||||
Thymoites is a large genus of cobweb spiders. They occur in Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. There are 94 currently (2023) accepted species worldwide, 14 or 15 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 2 species in Minnesota. |
||||||||
Description |
||
Thymoites are small to medium-sized cobweb spiders. Most species are no more than 1⁄16″ (1.5 mm) in length, and few are more than ⅛″ (2.5 mm) in length. On most species the eye region is bulging and there is a seam either between the eyes or on the facial plate (clypeus) below the eyes. The jaws (chelicerae) have a single tooth on the anterior margin and no teeth on the posterior margin. The abdomen is more or less oval and often brownish, orange, or yellowish-brown. On most species it is unmarked. Some species have an indistinct longitudinal stripe on the upper side, and some have a single distinct black spot in the middle. The legs are usually short. |
||
Distribution |
||||
|
Sources |
|||
| 1/17/2023 | ||||
Taxonomy |
|||
| Class | Arachnida (arachnids) | ||
Order |
Araneae (spiders) | ||
Suborder |
Araneomorphae (typical spiders) | ||
| Infraorder | Entelegynae (entelegyne spiders) | ||
| Superfamily | Araneoidea (araneoid spiders) | ||
Family |
Theridiidae (cobweb spiders) | ||
Subordinate Taxa |
|||
cobweb spider (Thymoites expulsus) cobweb spider (Thymoites illudens) cobweb spider (Thymoites maderae) cobweb spider (Thymoites marxi) cobweb spider (Thymoites minero) cobweb spider (Thymoites missionensis) cobweb spider (Thymoites pallidus) cobweb spider (Thymoites pictipes) cobweb spider (Thymoites sarasota) cobweb spider (Thymoites sclerotis) Minnesota cobweb weaver (Thymoites minnesota) northern cobweb spider (Thymoites oleatus) prominent high-browed cobweaver (Thymoites camano) spotted cobweb spider (Thymoites unimaculatus) |
|||
Synonyms |
|||
Brontosauriella Garricola Hubba Hypobares Paidisca Philto Spelobion Sphyrotinus Tholocco Thonastica Thymoella |
|||
Common Names |
|||
This genus has no common name. The common name of the Family Theridiidae is cobweb spiders, and it is used here for convenience. |
|||
Glossary
Chelicerae
The pair of stout mouthparts, corresponding to jaws, in arachnids and other arthropods in the subphylum Chelicerata.
Clypeus
On insects, a hardened plate on the face above the upper lip (labrum).
Visitor Photos |
|||||
Share your photo of this arachnid. |
|||||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption. |
|||||
Babette Kis |
|||||
Thymoites sp. cobweb spider This tiny spider is on Starry false Solomon's seal, Maianthemum stellatum (formerly Smilacina stellata), which is found scattered throughout the prairie. |
 |
||||
 |
 |
||||
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos |
|||||
|
|||||
Slideshows |
||
Visitor Videos |
|||
Share your video of this arachnid. |
|||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link. |
|||
Other Videos |
|||
Visitor Sightings |
|||||
Report a sighting of this arachnid. |
|||||
| This button not working for you? Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com. Be sure to include a location. |
|||||
| Babette Kis 5/30/2021 |
Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI This tiny spider is on Starry false Solomon's seal, Maianthemum stellatum (formerly Smilacina stellata), which is found scattered throughout the prairie. |
|
|||
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings |
|||||
|
|||||
Created: 1/17/2023
Last Updated: