Barronopsis jeffersi
This record describes Barronopsis jeffersi (species). Recorded family: Agelenidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Agelenidae (Funnel Weavers)
- Subfamily
- Ageleninae
- Genus
- Barronopsis
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Northern FL and southern GA, as well as a separate population in MD and surrounding states. B. jeffersi is originally described from MD, so images submitted from northern VA, DE, and MD are likely B. jeffersi . They are also described as being primarily synanthropic in the northern extent of their range, and many BG images are specimens on homes, in yards, or other man made structures.
Additional species information
Species notes from the sources
Etymology: Muma, 1945 Patronym for Dr. Walter F. Jeffers, collector of type specimens.
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Barronopsis jeffersi. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.
Ecological role of the group
Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.
Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Barronopsis jeffersi (7)
Photo credits: (c) Derek Hudgins, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Derek Hudgins | (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved, uploaded by Bill Hubick | (c) lbyrne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC) | (c) Ashley M Bradford, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ashley M Bradford | Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by chuuuuung