Spider Families in North America

As of 2021, there are over 48,000 spider species in the world. Around 3,000 of the species can be found in the United States. Spiders are classified under the order Araneae in the class Arachnida. Other arachnids that are not spiders are for example harvestmen and ticks.

Araneae are divided into two suborders: Mesothelae and Opisthothelae. The suborder Mesothelae only comprises few genera and none of them can be found in the United States. All spiders found in the United States are part of the infraorders Mygalomorphae (trapdoor spiders and tarantulas) or Araneomorphae (orb weavers, jumping spiders, ground spiders, cobweb spiders and most other spider families).

Mygalomorphae – Trapdoor Spiders and Tarantulas

The Mygalomorphae infraorder comprises several families of trapdoor spiders and tarantulas. The infraorder is subdivided into two clades. 11 Mygalomorphae spider families are found in North America.

Clade Atypoidea:

• Antrodiaetidae – Folding Trapdoor Spiders
• Atypidae – Atypical Tarantulas or Purseweb Spiders
• Hexurellidae
• Mecicobothriidae – Dwarf Tarantulas or Sheet Funnel-Web Spiders 
• Megahexuridae

Clade Avicularioidea

• Cyrtaucheniidae – Wafer Trapdoor Spiders
• Euagridae
• Euctenizidae
• Halonoproctidae
  • Example: Ummidia trapdoor spiders

• Microhexuridae
• Theraphosidae – Tarantulas
  • Examples: Texas brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi)

Araneomorphae – All Other Spiders

The infraorder Araneomorphae comprises all other spiders. The vast majority of all North American spiders is part of the araneomorph spiders. This inforaorder contains for example jumping spiders, orb weavers, sac spiders, funnel weavers and many more common spiders in the United States. Families with a (!) before their name contain medically significant spiders in North America.

• Agelenidae – Araneomorph Funnel-Web Spiders
  • Examples: Hobo Spider (Eratrigena agrestis), Grass Spider (Agelenopsis)

• Amaurobiidae – tangled nest spiders
• Hacklemesh weaver
  • Example: Callobius bennetti
• Anapidae
• Anyphaenidae – Anyphaenid Sac Spiders
  • Example: Ghost spider (Hibana)
• Aranidae – Orb-Weaver Spiders
  • Examples: Black and Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia), Giant Lichen Orb Weaver (Araneus bicentenarius)

• Archaeidae – Pelican Spiders
• Caponiidae
• Cheiracanthiidae
  • Example: Yellow Sac Spider (Cheiracanthium mildei)
• Clubionidae – Sac Spiders
  • Example: Leaf curling sac spiders (Clubiona sp.)

• Corinnidae
• Ctenidae – tropical wolf spiders / wandering spiders
• Cybaeidae
• Deinopidae – Net-Casting Spiders
  • Example: Ogre-faced spider or net-casting spider (Deinopis spinosa)
• Desidae – intertidal spiders         
  • Example: Gray house spider (Badumna longinqua) and Hacklemesh weaver (Metaltella simoni)
• Dictynidae – Coneweb spiders
  • Example: Desert Bush Spider (Diguetia canities)
• Dysderidae – woodlouse hunter spiders
  • Example: Woodlouse Hunter (Dysdera crocata)

• Filistatidae – Crevice Weavers
  • Example: Southern House Spider (Kukulcania hibernalis)

• Gnaphosidae – (Flat-Bellied) Ground Spiders
  • Example: Eastern Parson Spider (Herpyllus eccleclasticus)
• Hahniidae – Dwarf Sheet Spiders
• Hersiliidae – Tree Trunk Spiders
• Homalonychus
• Hypochilidae – Lampshade Spiders
• Leptonetidae
• Linyphiidae – Dwarf/Money Spiders
• Liocranidae – Liocranid Sac Spiders     
• Lycosidae – Wolf Spiders

• Mimetidae – Pirate Spiders
• Miturgidae
• Mysmenidae
• Nesticidae – Scaffold Web Spiders
• Oecobiidae – Disc Web Spiders
• Oonopidae – Goblin Spiders
• Oxyopidae – Lynx Spiders
  • Example: Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridis)
• Philodromidae – Running Crab Spiders
  • Example: Running Crab Spider (Philodromus sp.)

• Pholcidae – Daddy Long-Legs
  • Example: Daddy Long Legs (Pholcus sp.)

• Phrurolithidae
• Pisauridae – Nursery Web Spiders
  • Example: American Nursery Web Spider (Pisaurina mira), Fishing Spider (Dolomedes sp.)

• Plectreuridae – Plectreurid Spiders
• Salticidae – Jumping Spiders
  • Example: Daring Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)

• Scytodidae – Spitting Spiders
  • Example: Spitting Spider (Scytodes thoracica)
• Segestriidae – Tube-Dwelling Spiders
• Selenopidae – Wall (Crab) Spiders
  • Example: Selenops sp.
• (!) Sicariidae – Recluse Spiders
  • Example: Brown Recluse Spider (Loxosceles reclusa)

• Sparassidae – Huntsman Spiders
  • Example: Giant Crab Spider (Olios giganteus)
• Telemidae – Long-legged Cave Spiders
• Tetragnathidae – Long-Jawed Orb Weavers
  • Example: Leucauge venusta – Orchard Spider

• (!) Theridiidae – Cobweb Spiders, Tangle-Web Spiders
• Examples: Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans), Triangulate Cobweb Spider (Steatoda triangulosa)

• Theridiosomatidae – Ray Spiders
• Thomisidae – Crab Spiders
• Example: Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia)

• Titanoecidae
• Trachelidae – Ground Sac Spiders
  • Example: Broad-Faced Sac Spider (Trachelas tranquillus)

• Trechaleidae
• Example: Long-Legged Water Spider (Trechalea gertschi)
• Trogloraptoridae
• Uloboridae – Cribellate Orb Weabers, Hackled Orb Weavers
• Zoropsidae – False Wolf Spiders
  • Example: Titiotus californicus