Overview
Ground spiders (family Gnaphosidae) include nearly 2,000 described species in over 100 genera, distributed worldwide. This makes the family the seventh largest known. New species are still being discovered. They are closely related to Clubionidae.1]
Common genera include Gnaphosa, Drassodes, Micaria, Cesonia, Zelotes and many others.
There are 14 species known to northwest Europe.[1]
Description
Generally, ground spiders are characterized by having barrel-shaped anterior spinnerets that are one spinneret diameter apart. The main exception to this rule is found in the ant-mimicking genus Micaria. Another characteristic is an indentation in the endites (paired mouthparts anterior and lateral to the labium, or lip). All ground spiders lack a prey-capture web and generally run prey down on the surface. They hunt at night and spend the day in a silken retreat.[1] The thick-walled egg sacs are guarded by the mother until the spiderlings hatch.[1]
Human interaction
At present, no ground spiders are known to be seriously venomous to humans. Very few people even notice them.
See also
- List of Gnaphosidae species
- Spider families