Visually Identifiable Spiders

Note: The purpose of this list is to indicate which species can be confidently identified without collecting a voucher specimen. There will be two “levels” indicated here; 1) spiders for which the species can be identified, and 2) spiders which can be identified at the generic level. For spiders identifiable only to the generic level, the generic name will be followed by the number of species currently known for Ohio in parentheses. Likewise, each family name is followed by the number of species known for the state, this will provide the reader with some indication of the size of the group of species not easily identified visually. This list is somewhat conservative, experienced spider students may be able to identify many more species than are listed here. The use of a hand lens or portable microscope will enable observers to identify many more spiders as well as increase the certainty of the record. All visual records should be accompanied by the information specified in the “submitting a report” at the end of this document.

Antrodiaetidae (foldingdoor spiders) 2

Antrodiaetus (2 species)

Atypidae (purseweb spiders) 3

Sphodros (2 species)

Sphodros rufipes (adult males are distinctive)

Agelenidae (funnel weavers) 6

Agelenopsis (5 species)

Tegenaria domestica barn funnel weaver

Amaurobiidae (hackledmesh weavers) 9

Callobius bennetti

Coras (5 species)

Wadotes (2 species)

Anyphaenidae (ghost spiders) 6

Wulfila saltabundus

Araneidae (orbweavers) 56

Acanthepeira stellata

Araneus marmoreus

Araneus pratensis

Araneus thaddeus

Araneus trifolium

Araniella displicata sixspotted orbweaver

Argiope aurantia yellow garden argiope

Argiope trifasciata banded argiope

Cyclosa (2 species) cyclosa orbweaver

Eustala (3 species) humpbacked orbweaver

Gea heptagon

Larinia (2 species)

Larinioides (3 species)

Mangora gibberosa lined orbweaver

Mangora maculata greenlegged orbweaver

Mangora placida tufted orbweaver

Mastophora (3 species) bolas spider

Metepeira labyrinthea labyrinth orbweaver

Micrathena gracilis spined micrathena

Micrathena mitrata white micrathena

Micrathena sagittata arrowshaped micrathena

Neoscona (4 species)

Ocrepeira (2 species)

Verrucosa arenata

Clubionidae (sac spiders) 13

Cheiracanthium (2 species)

Clubiona (10 species)

Elaver excepta

Corinnidae (ground sac spiders) 8

Castianeira (7 species)

Trachelas deceptus

Trachelas tranquillus

Ctenidae (wandering spiders) 3

Anahita punctulata

Heteropoda venatoria

Dictynidae (meshweb weavers) 24

Cicurina (3 species)

other genera are confusing

Dysderidae (dysderids) 1

Dysdera crocota

Gnaphosidae (ground spiders) 41

Cesonia bilineata

Herpyllus ecclesiasticus parson spider

Micaria (5 species)

Urozelotes rusticus

Hahniidae (hahniids) 7

Neoantistea (2 species)

Linyphiidae

Erigoninae (dwarf weavers or micryphantids) 70

no easy visuals

Linyphiinae (sheetweb weavers) 42

Frontinella pyramitela bowl and doily spider

Neriene radiata filmy dome spider

Pityohyphantes costatus hammock spider

Liocranidae (no common name) 13

Phrurotimpus (2 species)

Loxoscelidae (recluse spiders) 2

Loxosceles (2 species)

Lycosidae (wolf spiders) 48

Pirata (7 species)

Rabidosa punctulata

Rabidosa rabida

Schizocosa ocreata (males are distinctive)

Schizocosa rovneri (males are distinctive)

Oecobiidae (flatmesh weavers) 2

Oecobius (2 species)

Oxyopidae (lynx spiders) 2

Oxyopes salticus striped lynx spider

Oxyopes scalaris western lynx spider

Pholcidae (daddylongleg spiders) 2

Pholcus phalangioides longbodied cellar spider

Spermophora senoculata shortbodied cellar spid.

Pisauridae (nursery web spiders) 8

Dolomedes tenebrosus

Dolomedes triton sixspotted fishing spider

Pisaurina (3 species) nursery web spider

Salticidae (jumping spiders) 72

Agassa cyanea

Eris aurantia

Maevia inclemens dimorphic jumper

Marpissa pikei Pike slender jumper

Metacyrba undata

Pelegrina (6 species)

Phidippus audax bold jumper

Phidippus cardinalis cardinal jumper

Phlegra fasciata

Salticus scenicus zebra jumper

Thiodina (2 species)

Scytodidae (spitting spiders) 1

Scytodes thoracica

Segestriidae (segestriids) 1

Ariadna bicolor

Tetragnathidae (longjawed orbweavers) 18

Leucauge venusta orchard orbweaver

Meta menardi cave orbweaver

Pachygnatha (6 species) thickjawed orbweaver

Tetragnatha (9 species) longjawed orbweaver

Theridiidae (cobweb weavers) 56

Achaearanea tepidariorum common house spider

Argyrodes (3 species) dewdrop spiders

Crustulina (2 species)

Enoplognatha marmorata marbled cobweb spid.

Enoplognatha ovata

Episinus amoenus

Euryopis (4 species)

Latrodectus mactans southern black widow

Latrodectus variolus northern black widow

Pholcomma hirsuta

Phoroncidia americana

Spintharus flavidus

Steatoda americana twospotted cobweb spider

Steatoda borealis

Steatoda triangulosa

Theridion frondeum

Theridula (2 species)

Theridiosomatidae (ray orbweavers) 1

Theridiosoma gemmosum

Thomisidae (crab spiders)

Misumeninae (typical crab spiders) 29

Coriarachne (2 species)

Misumena vatia goldenrod crab spider

Misumenoides formosipes redbanded crab spider

Misumenops (3 species)

Ozyptila (6 species)

Tmarus angulatus

Xysticus (13 species)

Philodrominae (philodromid crab spiders) 16

Ebo latithorax

Philodromus (10 species)

Thanatus (1 species, others possible)

Tibellus (3 species)

Uloboridae (hackled orbweavers) 2

Hyptiotes cavatus triangle weaver

Uloborus glomosus featherlegged orbweaver

Members of the following families are either rare or represented by species which cannot be identified easily. They are excluded from this list for convenience.

Ctenizidae (trapdoor spiders) 1

Cybaeidae (no common name) 3

Mimetidae (pirate spiders) 6

Miturgidae (no common name) 3

Mysmenidae (dwarf cobweb spiders) 2

Nesticidae (cave cobweb spiders) 1

Oonopidae (dwarf sixeyed spiders) 1

Titanoecidae (titanoecids) 2

Zoridae (zorids) 1

Submitting visual record reports

At a minimum the following data are required when submitting a visual record to the Ohio Spider Survey.

1. Locality where the specimen was observed. The more specific, the better. Specify the nearest intersection or distance and direction from rural intersections. Specify the latitude and longitude if possible. These can be expressed to the nearest minute or using two decimal places when providing decimal degrees (with a GPS device).

2. Date that the specimen was observed (if possible specify the time).

3. Specify the substrate; for example ground, rock, plant (what type), building etc. Was the spider in a web?

4. Describe the behavior; for example “hanging in web” “running on ground”. Indicate if there was an egg case or juveniles associated with the spider.

5. Specify age and sex if it can be determined.