| Leptonetids Temporal range:   | |
|---|---|
![]()  | |
| Tayshaneta anopica | |
| Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota | 
| Kingdom: | Animalia | 
| Phylum: | Arthropoda | 
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata | 
| Class: | Arachnida | 
| Order: | Araneae | 
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae | 
| Family: | Leptonetidae Simon, 1890  | 
| Diversity | |
| 21 genera, 365 species | |
![]()  | |
Leptonetidae is a family of small spiders adapted to live in dark and moist places such as caves.[1] The family is relatively primitive having diverged around the Middle Jurassic period.[2] They were first described by Eugène Simon in 1890.[3]
Distinguishing characteristics
Leptonetids are small, with most falling between 2 and 5mm in total length.[2] They are generally pale in color and feature a greenish or bluish shine due to microscopic texture on the cuticle of their exoskeleton.[1] Those species which have retained their eyes, have 6 eyes set in a distinctive pattern, with posterior pair set back from the others. If a spider from this family looses a leg, it usually separates between the patella and tibia rather than at the coxa/trochanter joint. [4]
Habitat
Many live in caves or in leaf litter around the Mediterranean, and in Eurasia, Japan and southern North America.[5]
Genera
As of April 2022, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following genera:[5]
- Appaleptoneta Platnick, 1986 — United States
 - Barusia Kratochvíl, 1978 — Montenegro, Croatia, Greece
 - Calileptoneta Platnick, 1986 — United States
 - Cataleptoneta Denis, 1955 — Asia, Europe
 - Chisoneta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States, Mexico
 - Falcileptoneta Komatsu, 1970 — Japan, Korea
 - Jingneta Wang & Li, 2020
 - Leptoneta Simon, 1872 — Europe, Asia, Algeria
 - Leptonetela Kratochvíl, 1978 — Greece, Asia
 - Longileptoneta Seo, 2015 — Korea
 - Masirana Kishida, 1942 — Japan, Korea
 - Montanineta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States
 - Neoleptoneta Brignoli, 1972 — Mexico
 - Ozarkia Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States
 - Paraleptoneta Fage, 1913 — Algeria, Italy
 - Protoleptoneta Deltshev, 1972 — Europe
 - Rhyssoleptoneta Tong & Li, 2007 — China
 - Sulcia Kratochvíl, 1938 — Europe
 - Tayshaneta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 — United States
 - Teloleptoneta Ribera, 1988 — Portugal
 - Yueleptoneta Tong, 2022
 
Two genera have been moved to the family Archoleptonetidae:[6]
- Archoleptoneta Gertsch, 1974 — United States
 - Darkoneta Ledford & Griswold, 2010 — North America, Central America
 
See also
References
- 1 2  Spiders of the world : a natural history. Norman I. Platnick, Gustavo Hormiga, Peter, Jäger, R. Jocqué, Martín J. Ramírez, Robert J. Raven. Princeton, NJ. 2020. ISBN 978-0-691-20498-7. OCLC 1223249471.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - 1 2 Ledford, Joel; Derkarabetian, Shahan; Ribera, Carles; Starrett, James; Bond, Jason E.; Griswold, Charles; Hedin, Marshal (2021-03-24). "Phylogenomics and biogeography of leptonetid spiders (Araneae : Leptonetidae)". Invertebrate Systematics. 35 (3): 332–349. doi:10.1071/IS20065. ISSN 1447-2600.
 - ↑ Simon, E. (1890). Etudes arachnologiques.
 - ↑ Bradley, Richard A., 'FAMILY LEPTONETIDAE • Midget Cave Spiders', Common Spiders of North America (Oakland, CA, 2012; online edn, California Scholarship Online, 23 May 2013), https://doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520274884.003.0032, accessed 27 Apr. 2023.
 - 1 2 "Family: Leptonetidae Simon, 1890". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
 - ↑ "Family: Archoleptonetidae Gertsch, 1974". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
 

