Cicurina tersa
This record describes Cicurina tersa (species). Recorded family: Cicurinidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Cicurina tersa is a species of true spider in the family Hahniidae. It is found in the United States.
Identification notes
Specimen confirmed by expert Rod Crawford:
Wikipedia reference for Cicurina tersa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicurina tersa.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Cicurinidae (cicurinid spiders)
- Genus
- Cicurina
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
Pacific Northwest
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Cicurina tersa. 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 Cicurina tersa (2)
Photo credits: (c) Laurel J. Ramseyer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Laurel J. Ramseyer | Contributed by Lynette Elliott; Additional contributions by cheins
Frequently Asked Questions About Cicurina tersa
What is Cicurina tersa?
Cicurina tersa is a species in the family Cicurinidae, within the order Araneae.
How do you identify Cicurina tersa?
Specimen confirmed by expert Rod Crawford:
Where is Cicurina tersa found?
Range: Pacific Northwest