Spider Families
Spider Families of United Arab Emirates
29 Spider families have been reported from United Arab Emirates so far. Please find the details below:-
01) Family Theraphosidae (Tarantulas)
Everyone know the word Tarantula. Theraphosidae spiders are common called as Tarantula. They are 'hairy' spiders we usually see in the ground or among rocks in the Wadis and Mountains of United Arab Emirates. Tarantulas are very shy spiders and they keep away from Humans. Tarantulas in United Arab Emirates are smaller compared to bigger Tarantulas of South America, South East Asia and Australia. Two species of Tarantulas are so far seen in UAE in which one is new to the region. They are not harmful to humans and no records of biting ever reported in UAE. They are strictly noctural (active during night) spiders.
02) Family Agelenidae (Funnel weavers/Sheet weavers)
Agelenidae spiders are commonly seen among grasses around the world. They make sheets or funnle like webs closer to the ground among the grasses. These funnel weavers are very fast in their webs but very helpless outside the webs sheets. One species of Agelenidae from different parts of United Arab Emirates has been recorded so far. They are seen among plantations, wadis and unused waste lands with vegetation. They are active during day time.
03) Family Araneidae (Orb-web spiders)
Araneidae spiders makes Orb-Webs (Circular) and are very common in gardens, parks, plantations, around electric post etc. They are found all over the world. Most of the spiders are beautiful with patterns, some are scary because of its size (Argiopes). Most of the spiders are nocturnal (active during night). They clearly shows sexual dimorphism (Males and females looks different). Several species are found in United Arab Emirates and least studied here. They don't bite and are good friends of humans by catching majority of pests around home.
04) Family Dysderidae (Woodlouse Hunters)
Dysderidae spiders are specialized in hunting on Woodlice and seen among woods infected with woodlice. They were initially restricted to Eurasia and some parts of Africa and are now widespread throughout the globe. These spiders only have 6 eyes instead of 8 eyes. Mature spiders can accidentally bite humans and can cause some reactions on skin due to its venom, but nothing is fatal. In UAE these spiders are very rare and
have been recorded twice or more.
05) Family Dictynidae (Mesh-Web Spiders)
Dictynidae spiders are tiny spider which make a mesh like web on leafs and stems of Plants. They are reported all over the globe. They live primarly on the plant itself and feeds on smaller size insects. In UAE, mesh-web spiders are seen in gardens, parks, plantations and wadis. These spiders show sexual dimorphism (Males and females looks different). They are not harmful to humans are usually hides when disturbed. In UAE we
haven't recorded more than one species so far.
06) Family Eresidae (Velvet Spiders or Social Spiders)
Eresidae spiders are a small group of Spiders which lives closely to each other. They are one of the most beautiful spiders mainly found in Asia, Africa and Europe with very few species in South America. They are slow moving spiders which spends most of the time inside their webs. These spiders shows parental care. They are harmless and only three species are recorded so far in UAE. They can be found in desert, wadis and plantations in UAE.
07) Family Cheiracanthiidae (Yellow-sac spiders)
Cheiracanthiidae spiders are a large group of spiders which lives on plants. They are pure nocturnal and hides during day in the leafs. They are found
in gardens, parks, plantations and vegetated areas all over United Arab Emirates. They are know to bite humans which causes some tissue damage
(necrosis) and irritation. Only one species have been found so far in UAE, however more studies can reveal a different result.
08) Family Filistatidae (Crevice Weavers)
Filistatidae spiders are group of dark colored spiders which makes Funnel like webs. They are found active in the webs during night (nocturnal)
and hide during day time. Females are easy to find than males. They make webs among crevices (hence the name), broken wall, abandoned
furniture rooms, store rooms etc. In United Arab Emirates, only three species are found so far.
09) Family Gnaphosidae (Ground spiders)
Gnaphosidae spiders are a large group of ground dwelling spiders. They have distinctive visible spinnerets. Most of the spiders are brown, grey
or black in color. They have wide range distribution around the globe. They are fast runners and some mimics ants. In United Arab Emirates,
several species of Gnaphosids are found in different habitats ranging from Deserts, plantations, wadis, mountains etc. They hide under rocks,
barks of trees, leaf litters etc during day and actively hunt during night. These spiders comes in different sizes.
10) Family Hersiliidae (Two tailed spiders)
Hersiliidae spiders are usually known as Tree trunk spiders because of its habitat (Tree trunks), however in United Arab Emirates, they are found
in the ground hence called Two tailed spiders also due to two long spinnerets in the back of the abdomen. They are also nocturnal and hide
during the night under rocks. These spiders are found in UAE only on wadi habitat so far. More studies has to be done on this family.
11) Family Linyphiidae
Linyphiidae spiders are usually known as Dwarf or Hammock-web Spiders. 8 species of Linyphiidae spiders were identified in
United Arab Emirates so far. One has been photographed from wild. They are very small, 8 eyed spiders which creates sheet or domed or
hammock-shaped webs. The spider hangs upside down and doesn't make any retreat. Webs are found in any possible habitat.
12) Family Lycosidae
Lycosidae spiders are usually known as wolfspiders. They are hunting spiders which can run faster in the ground. Most of the wolfpsiders
don't spin webs except funnel webspiders (Hippasa genus). They have8 eyes with two big front eyes supports good vision. Wolfspiders are found in most parts of the world. United Arab Emirates has around 20 species of Wolf spiders out of 11 has been recorded in this website.
13) Family Oecobiidae
Oecobiidae spoders are also known as Star Web or Disc Web spiders. They are small three-clawed spider with six to eight eyes in general. These spiders livi in star-shaped mesh webs in walls or corners of rocks. They use the webs for protective retreat. Two species of Oecobiidaes are found in UAE so far.
14) Family Oonopidae
15) Family Oxyopidae
16) Family Palpimanidae
17) Family Philodromidae
18) Family Pholcidae
19) Family Pisauridae
20) Family Salticidae
21) Family Selenopidae
22) Family Scytodidae
23) Family Sicarridae
24) Family Sparassidae
25) Family Tetragnathidae
26) Family Theridiidae
27) Family Thomisidae
28) Family Uloboridae
29) Family Zodariidae
01) Family Theraphosidae (Tarantulas)
Everyone know the word Tarantula. Theraphosidae spiders are common called as Tarantula. They are 'hairy' spiders we usually see in the ground or among rocks in the Wadis and Mountains of United Arab Emirates. Tarantulas are very shy spiders and they keep away from Humans. Tarantulas in United Arab Emirates are smaller compared to bigger Tarantulas of South America, South East Asia and Australia. Two species of Tarantulas are so far seen in UAE in which one is new to the region. They are not harmful to humans and no records of biting ever reported in UAE. They are strictly noctural (active during night) spiders.
02) Family Agelenidae (Funnel weavers/Sheet weavers)
Agelenidae spiders are commonly seen among grasses around the world. They make sheets or funnle like webs closer to the ground among the grasses. These funnel weavers are very fast in their webs but very helpless outside the webs sheets. One species of Agelenidae from different parts of United Arab Emirates has been recorded so far. They are seen among plantations, wadis and unused waste lands with vegetation. They are active during day time.
03) Family Araneidae (Orb-web spiders)
Araneidae spiders makes Orb-Webs (Circular) and are very common in gardens, parks, plantations, around electric post etc. They are found all over the world. Most of the spiders are beautiful with patterns, some are scary because of its size (Argiopes). Most of the spiders are nocturnal (active during night). They clearly shows sexual dimorphism (Males and females looks different). Several species are found in United Arab Emirates and least studied here. They don't bite and are good friends of humans by catching majority of pests around home.
04) Family Dysderidae (Woodlouse Hunters)
Dysderidae spiders are specialized in hunting on Woodlice and seen among woods infected with woodlice. They were initially restricted to Eurasia and some parts of Africa and are now widespread throughout the globe. These spiders only have 6 eyes instead of 8 eyes. Mature spiders can accidentally bite humans and can cause some reactions on skin due to its venom, but nothing is fatal. In UAE these spiders are very rare and
have been recorded twice or more.
05) Family Dictynidae (Mesh-Web Spiders)
Dictynidae spiders are tiny spider which make a mesh like web on leafs and stems of Plants. They are reported all over the globe. They live primarly on the plant itself and feeds on smaller size insects. In UAE, mesh-web spiders are seen in gardens, parks, plantations and wadis. These spiders show sexual dimorphism (Males and females looks different). They are not harmful to humans are usually hides when disturbed. In UAE we
haven't recorded more than one species so far.
06) Family Eresidae (Velvet Spiders or Social Spiders)
Eresidae spiders are a small group of Spiders which lives closely to each other. They are one of the most beautiful spiders mainly found in Asia, Africa and Europe with very few species in South America. They are slow moving spiders which spends most of the time inside their webs. These spiders shows parental care. They are harmless and only three species are recorded so far in UAE. They can be found in desert, wadis and plantations in UAE.
07) Family Cheiracanthiidae (Yellow-sac spiders)
Cheiracanthiidae spiders are a large group of spiders which lives on plants. They are pure nocturnal and hides during day in the leafs. They are found
in gardens, parks, plantations and vegetated areas all over United Arab Emirates. They are know to bite humans which causes some tissue damage
(necrosis) and irritation. Only one species have been found so far in UAE, however more studies can reveal a different result.
08) Family Filistatidae (Crevice Weavers)
Filistatidae spiders are group of dark colored spiders which makes Funnel like webs. They are found active in the webs during night (nocturnal)
and hide during day time. Females are easy to find than males. They make webs among crevices (hence the name), broken wall, abandoned
furniture rooms, store rooms etc. In United Arab Emirates, only three species are found so far.
09) Family Gnaphosidae (Ground spiders)
Gnaphosidae spiders are a large group of ground dwelling spiders. They have distinctive visible spinnerets. Most of the spiders are brown, grey
or black in color. They have wide range distribution around the globe. They are fast runners and some mimics ants. In United Arab Emirates,
several species of Gnaphosids are found in different habitats ranging from Deserts, plantations, wadis, mountains etc. They hide under rocks,
barks of trees, leaf litters etc during day and actively hunt during night. These spiders comes in different sizes.
10) Family Hersiliidae (Two tailed spiders)
Hersiliidae spiders are usually known as Tree trunk spiders because of its habitat (Tree trunks), however in United Arab Emirates, they are found
in the ground hence called Two tailed spiders also due to two long spinnerets in the back of the abdomen. They are also nocturnal and hide
during the night under rocks. These spiders are found in UAE only on wadi habitat so far. More studies has to be done on this family.
11) Family Linyphiidae
Linyphiidae spiders are usually known as Dwarf or Hammock-web Spiders. 8 species of Linyphiidae spiders were identified in
United Arab Emirates so far. One has been photographed from wild. They are very small, 8 eyed spiders which creates sheet or domed or
hammock-shaped webs. The spider hangs upside down and doesn't make any retreat. Webs are found in any possible habitat.
12) Family Lycosidae
Lycosidae spiders are usually known as wolfspiders. They are hunting spiders which can run faster in the ground. Most of the wolfpsiders
don't spin webs except funnel webspiders (Hippasa genus). They have8 eyes with two big front eyes supports good vision. Wolfspiders are found in most parts of the world. United Arab Emirates has around 20 species of Wolf spiders out of 11 has been recorded in this website.
13) Family Oecobiidae
Oecobiidae spoders are also known as Star Web or Disc Web spiders. They are small three-clawed spider with six to eight eyes in general. These spiders livi in star-shaped mesh webs in walls or corners of rocks. They use the webs for protective retreat. Two species of Oecobiidaes are found in UAE so far.
14) Family Oonopidae
15) Family Oxyopidae
16) Family Palpimanidae
17) Family Philodromidae
18) Family Pholcidae
19) Family Pisauridae
20) Family Salticidae
21) Family Selenopidae
22) Family Scytodidae
23) Family Sicarridae
24) Family Sparassidae
25) Family Tetragnathidae
26) Family Theridiidae
27) Family Thomisidae
28) Family Uloboridae
29) Family Zodariidae
