Mysmenidae

Mysmenidae is a spider family with about 180 described species in seventeen genera. The family is one of the least well known of the orb-weaving spiders because of their small size (0.76 to 3 mm (0.03 to 0.12 in)) and cryptic behaviour. These spiders are found in humid habitats such as among leaf litter and in caves.^[1]

Spurred orb-weavers Temporal range: Palaeogene–present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
female Microdipoena guttata
male Mysmena
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Mysmenidae Petrunkevitch, 1928
Diversity
17 genera, 188 species

Distribution

Species occur in the Americas, Africa, Asia, Europe, New Guinea and several islands.

Genera

Main article: List of Mysmenidae species

As of October 2025^[update], this family includes seventeen genera:^[2]

• Brasilionata Wunderlich, 1995 – Brazil
• Chanea Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 – China
• Chimena Lin & Li, 2022 – China, Taiwan
• Drungena Lin & S. Li, 2023 – China
• Gaoligonga Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 – China, Vietnam
• Isela Griswold, 1985 – Kenya, South Africa
• Maymena Gertsch, 1960 – St. Vincent, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, United States, Peru
• Mengmena Lin & Li, 2022 – China
• Microdipoena Banks, 1895 – Africa, Asia, Canada, Hawaii, New Guinea, Samoa. Introduced to Democratic Republic of the Congo, Comoros, Ivory Coast
• Mosu Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 – China
• Mysmena Simon, 1894 – Algeria, China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Southern Europe to Azerbaijan, Israel, North America, Oceania, Galapagos, Guyana, Paraguay
• Mysmeniola Thaler, 1995 – Venezuela
• Mysmenopsis Simon, 1898 – North America, South America
• Phricotelus Simon, 1895 – China, Sri Lanka
• Simaoa Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 – China
• Trogloneta Simon, 1922 – China, Japan, Canary Islands, Madeira, North America, Brazil
• Yamaneta Miller & Lin, 2019 – China

See also

• List of Mysmenidae species