Amaurobiidae Spiders

The amaurobiidae are a family of spiders who can often be found in hollows or caves or under stones. There are 49 genera in this family.

Spiders Belonging To This Family

Genus

  • Altellopsis 
  • Amaurobius
  • Anisacate 
  • Arctobius 
  • Auhunga 
  • Auximella 
  • Callevopsis 
  • Callobius 
  • Cavernocymbium 
  • Chresiona 
  • Chumma 
  • Cybaeopsis 
  • Dardurus 
  • Daviesa 
  • Emmenomma 
  • Hicanodon 
  • Himalmartensus 
  • Livius 
  • Macrobunus 
  • Malenella 
  • Maloides 
  • Muritaia 
  • Naevius 
  • Neoporteria 
  • Neuquenia 
  • Obatala 
  • Otira 
  • Ovtchinnikovia 
  • Oztira 
  • Parazanomys 
  • Pimus 
  • Pseudauximus 
  • Retiro 
  • Rhoicinaria 
  • Rubrius 
  • Storenosoma 
  • Taira 
  • Tasmabrochus 
  • Tasmarubrius 
  • Teeatta 
  • Tugana 
  • Tymbira 
  • Urepus 
  • Virgilus 
  • Wabarra 
  • Waitetola 
  • Yacolla
  • Yupanquia 
  • Zanomys 

Species

  • Black Lace Weaver Spider
  • Amaurobius borealis
  • Amaurobius erberi 
  • Amaurobius fenestralis
  • Amaurobius similis
  • Callobius bennetti
  • Callobius claustrarius
  • Callobius pictus
  • Callobius severus
  • Cybaeopsis euopla
  • Cybaeopsis wabritaska
  • Muritaia longispinata
  • Pimus leucus

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: 0.13-2 cm (0.05-0.79 in)

Color: These spiders are generally black or brown in color.

Other Characteristic Features: They have eight eyes, placed in two curved rows.

Eggs

Around 60-180 eggs are laid in a single white sac, ranging from 0.7-1.5 cm in diameter and shaped like a lens.

Spiderlings

Spiderlings disperse over different periods, with around half of them leaving at three months. The rest spread at the end of one month. The mother lays trophic eggs for her young to eat.

The Web

They create minimal sheet webbing.

Do Amaurobiidae Spiders Bite and Are They Poisonous

These spiders are venomous but are not known to be aggressive. While their bites are painful, they are not fatal.

Quick Facts

Lifespan1-2 years
DistributionArgentina, Australia, China, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Libya, Micronesia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, and the USA
HabitatBurrows in loamy, sandy soil, caves, and rainforests with cool climates
Common PredatorsOther spiders
DietInsects

Did You Know

  • Swedish arachnologist Tord Tamerlan Teodor Thorell first coined this family of spiders in 1870.