Araneomorphae facts for kids

The Araneomorphae are the kinds of spiders that humans most often see around their homes and gardens. They are different from the Mygalomorphae, the group of spiders that includes the tarantulas (also called "bird-eating spider"). There is a third group of spiders that is extremely ancient and now has few species remaining. It is called the Mesothelae.

Distinguishing characteristics

Note the difference in the orientations of the fangs of the two spiders below, representatives of the Mygalomorphae and the Araneomorphae.

Mygalomorphae

Atrax robustus (a member of the Hexathelidae) is making a threat display, and by so doing shows very clearly the orientation of its fangs, which go up and down, parallel to the long axis of the spider's body. So it is a representative of the suborder Mygalomorphae, not Araneomorphae.

Araneomorphae

threatening Cheiracanthium punctorium

In Araneomorphae, the fangs slope towards each other, giving these spiders many more possibilities than Mygalomorphae, which can only bite top down.

Unlike Mygalomorphae, which can live for up to 25 years, most Araneomorphae die after about a year.

Spiders included

The vast majority of extant spider species are included in this group. The exceptions belong to the infraorder Mygalomorphae, which includes tarantulas, trapdoor spiders and several families of funnel-web spiders, and the suborder Mesothelae, which includes about 100 species living in Asia. The Araneomorphae include the orb-weaver spiders, the cobweb spiders, the crab spiders, the jumping spiders, the wolf spiders, and the large huntsman spiders.

Images for kids

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  Hippasa agelenoides – common funnel web spider

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  This Atrax robustus shows the orientation of Myglamorphae fangs.

See also

In Spanish: Araneomorphae para niños