Ground Spiders (Gnaphosidae) - 115 Species, Identification & Facts

Callilepis gosoga

Callilepis gosoga is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States.

Callilepis imbecilla

Identification: Palp Epigynum "This species apparently replaces C. pluto in the Mississippi River Valley and the extreme southern United State."

Callilepis pluto

Identification: Voucher specimen with epigynum: Palp

Cesonia gertschi

Cesonia gertschi is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States and Mexico.

Cesonia trivittata

Identification: Voucher Specimen Page creation based on the identification of these images by Dr. Lenny Vincent .

Drassodes angulus

Identification: Epigynum (undissected, dissected ventral, dissected dorsal)

Drassodes cupreus

D. cupreus is the most common of the UK spiders in this genus but cannot easily be distinguished from D. lapidotus . The female is 9-18 mm with a mousy grey abdomen and long tubular spinners. If we cannot be certain that an image is D. cupreus but it

Drassodes neglectus

Identification: Male voucher Left palp (ventral/lateral) Males of this species have three dorsodistal macrosetae on the palpal femur: Female voucher Epigyne (ventral)

Drassodes saccatus

Identification: Epigynum (ventral, ventral dissected, dorsal dissected)

Drassyllus niger

Drassyllus niger is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.

Drassyllus novus

Identification: Palp Epigynum (undissected/ventral dissected/dorsal dissected)

Eilica bicolor

Eilica bicolor is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found from the United States to Honduras, Cuba, and Jamaica.

Gnaphosa borea

Identification: Left Palp (ventral, retrolateral, mesal-ventral)

Gnaphosa sericata

Gnaphosa sericata is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in a range from the United States to Guatemala and Cuba.

Haplodrassus bicornis

Haplodrassus bicornis is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.

Herpyllus cockerelli

Identification: Palp Syntypes were collected from Mesilla Park, Dona Ana Co., New Mexico.

Herpyllus hesperolus

Identification: Palp Epigynum (undissected/ventral dissected/dorsal dissected)

Western Parson Spider

Herpyllus propinquus

Identification: H. propinquus is basically identical in appearance to H. ecclesiasticus , and examination of reproductive organs is needed for positive identification.

Heser schmitzi

Identification: Similar to Heser nilicola , which is also found in California, but can be distinguished by details of the genitalic morphology. Palp Epigynum

Litopyllus cubanus

Litopyllus cubanus is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States, Bahama Islands, and Cuba.

Micaria constricta

Identification: Epigynum (undissected-ventral/dissected ventral/dissected dorsal)

Micaria foxi

Identification: Epigynum (undissected ventral/dissected dorsal) Distinguished from M. rossica by the shorter embolus of males and the smaller epigynal septum of females.

Micaria gertschi

Micaria gertschi is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.

Micaria gosiuta

Identification: Palp Epigynum "This species resembles M. longipes and M. delicatula but can be distinguised by the basal bulge on the retrolateral tibial apophysis of males and the relatively short paramedian epigynal ducts of females."

Micaria jeanae

Identification: Epigynum "This species seems closest to M. pasadena but can be distinguished by the two equally long tibial apophyses of males and the narrow, hood-like anterior epigynal margin of females."

Micaria longispina

Identification: Epigynum "closest to M. idana and M. medica but can be distinguished by the ventrally directed and expanded tip of the embolus and the curved lateral ridges of the epigynum."

Micaria medica

Identification: Epigynum Distinguished from M. idana and M. longispina by the absence of a median apophysis in males and by the entire anterior epigynal margin of females.

Micaria micans

Micaria micans has a dark longitudinal stripes on the dorsal of femora III and IV (sometimes also recognizable on the tibiae of these legs), caused by stripe-like arrangement of dark hairs and dark pigmentation of the cuticule; it prefers warm, dry s

Micaria nye

"This species can be recignized by the oddly shaped embolus and the elongated paramedian epigynal ducts."

Micaria pasadena

Micaria pasadena is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States and Mexico.

Micaria pulicaria

Identification: Palp Epigynum "This species seems closest to M. tripunctata but can be distinguished by the shorter, wider embolus of males and the relatively shorter paramedian ducts of females."

Micaria pulicaria sensu lato

A distinctive pattern of white on the dark abdomen and a radial pattern on the carapace help with identification. In 2019 DNA analysis split the species Micaria pulicaria into two: The colour difference is a reliable and supported by DNA. There are a

Micaria rossica

Identification: M. rossica can be distinguished from C. longipalpa by its thinner tibiae and femur coloration (femurs I-III are red while femur IV is black). "This species seems closest to M. foxi but can be distinguished by the longer embolus of mal

Micaria triangulosa

Identification: "This distinctive species can be recognized easily by the short, basally situation retrolateral tibial apophysis of males and the triangular anteromedian epigynal depression of females." Palp Epigynum

Nodocion eclecticus

Identification: Epigynum (undissected/dissected-ventral/dissected dorsal)

Nodocion floridanus

Nodocion floridanus is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States and Mexico.

Nodocion rufithoracicus

Identification: Epigynum (undissected/dissected-ventral/dissected dorsal)

Nodocion voluntarius

Identification: Epigynum (undissected/dissected-ventral/dissected-dorsal)

Mouse Spider

Scotophaeus blackwalli

Approximately 9 to 12 mms long. The Mouse Spider gets its name from the grey coloured abdomen which is covered in tiny hairs and resembles mouse fur. 3 dorsal spines on femur III & IV. Scotophaeus scutulatus (rare) - 2 dorsal spines (proximal and med

Sergiolus columbianus

Identification: Male (ID confirmed by Rod Crawford):

Sergiolus montanus

Identification: There appears to be quite a bit of variation in the abdominal patterning of this species. A microscopic exam of the spider's genitalia is typically necessary for accurate identification. "...specimens of the widespread species S. mon

Sergiolus tennesseensis

Identification: From original description: Female. - Carapace dusky, more fulvous at middle. Sternum chestnut. Femora of legs black, the more distal joints yellow or reddish yellow. Abdomen black above with three light cross bands; venter with a pale

Sosticus insularis

Identification: This is a small, dark-colored ground spider. The cephalothorax is dark brown as are the femora of the legs. The tips of the legs are lighter in color. The abdomen is dark gray, nearly black. The male has a scutum over more than half o

Talanites echinus

Talanites echinus is a species of ground spider in the family Gnaphosidae. It is found in the United States.

Zelotes funestus

Page creation based on the identification of these images by Dr. Lenny Vincent . The male of this species is undescribed.

Zelotes subterraneus

Zelotes subterraneus is a species of ground spider from the family Gnaphosidae which has a Palearctic distribution. it is the type species of the genus Zelotes. Its distribution may be somewhat masked by the difficulty of distinguishing this species