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Araneae

Common names: spiders

Probability of encounter: high

Quarantine importance: high for some taxa because of medical importance or potential general predator problems.  Many large species are used in the pet trade and some may have small, endangered populations.

Similarity to mites: spider-like build and lack of segmentation resemble mites, but mites do not have spider waists.

Morphology

Normal adult length: > 5 mm
Body tagmata: prosoma (cephalothorax), opisthosoma (abdomen)
Eyes: 4 + 4 ocelli maximum
Antennae: absent
Mouthparts: fang-like chelicerae; feeler-like 5-segmented palps with distal claws (not present on
palps of adult males); terminal segment of palps in males is swollen
Legs: 4 pairs (NB - some have long, leg-like spinnerets)
Distinguishing features: fangs, spinnerets, pedicel
 

Comments: Spiders all have two clearly defined body regions separated by a narrow waist (pedicel), fang-like mouthparts and abdominal spinnerets that produce silken threads. Male spiders have swollen palps.

 

Diversity: >38,000 spp.

 

References

 

Tree of Life - http://tolweb.org/tree?group=Araneae&contgroup=Arachnida

 

Platnick, N.I.  2003.  The World Spider Catalog.  Version 3.5.  American Museum of Natural History, New York. 

http://research.amnh.org/entomology/spiders/catalog81-87/index.html