Mermessus maculatus
This record describes Mermessus maculatus (species). Recorded family: Linyphiidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
In the 1940s, when Kaston wrote that it was our commonest species of the genus in Spiders of Connecticut, the genus he was referring to was Eperigone, named by Crosby & Bishop in 1928. Much later, according to the World Spider Catalog, it was determined that Mr. O. P.-Cambridge's 1899 Mermessus was a senior synonym and everything Eperigonic suddenly became Mermessuic.
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Arthropoda
- Class
- Arachnida
- Order
- Araneae (Spiders)
- Family
- Linyphiidae (Sheetweb and Dwarf Spiders)
- Subfamily
- Erigoninae
- Genus
- Mermessus
Imported taxonomy record. Source availability varies; see the source references and editorial policy below.
Habitat and Range
Geographic Range
According to the WSC, this little creature is found from "Russia, Canada, to Guatemala".
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Mermessus maculatus. 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 Mermessus maculatus (5)
Photo credits: Contributed by tom murray; Additional contributions by cheins