Temporary Page

Theridiosomatidae

Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
taxon links [down<--]Orbiculariae Interpreting the tree
close box

This tree diagram shows the relationships between several groups of organisms.

The root of the current tree connects the organisms featured in this tree to their containing group and the rest of the Tree of Life. The basal branching point in the tree represents the ancestor of the other groups in the tree. This ancestor diversified over time into several descendent subgroups, which are represented as internal nodes and terminal taxa to the right.

example of a tree diagram

You can click on the root to travel down the Tree of Life all the way to the root of all Life, and you can click on the names of descendent subgroups to travel up the Tree of Life all the way to individual species.

For more information on ToL tree formatting, please see Interpreting the Tree or Classification. To learn more about phylogenetic trees, please visit our Phylogenetic Biology pages.

close box

Tree from Griswold et al. 1998.

Containing group: Orbiculariae

References

Coddington, J. A. 1986. The genera of the spider family Theridiosomatidae. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 422: 1–96.

Coddington, J.A. 2005. Phylogeny and Classification of Spiders. In D. Ubick, P. Paquin, P. E. Cushing, and V. Roth (eds.) Spiders of North America: an identification manual, American Arachnological Society. 377 pages. Chapter 2, pp. 18-24.

Coddington, J. A. and C. E. Valerio. 1981. Observations on the web and behavior of Wendilgarda spiders (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae). Psyche, 87:93–105.

Eberhard, W.G. 1986. Ontogenetic changes in the web of Epeirotypus sp. (Araneae, Theridiosomatidae). J. Arachnology 14:125-128.

Eberhard, W.G. 1989. Niche expansion in the spider Wendilgarda galapagensis (Araneae, Theridiosomatidae) on Cocos Island (Pacific Ocean). Revista De Biologia Tropical 37:163-168.

Eberhard, W.G. 1991. Notes on the natural history of Wendilgarda galapagensis (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae). Bulletin Of The British Arachnological Society 8:246-248.

Griswold, C. E., J. A. Coddington, G. Hormiga, and N. Scharff. 1998. Phylogeny of the orb-web building spiders (Araneae, Orbiculariae: Deinopoidea, Araneoidea). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 123:1-99.

Jocqué, R. & A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman. 2006. Spider Families of the World. Musée Royal de l'Afrique Centrale, Tevuren. 336pp.

Title Illustrations
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Click on an image to view larger version & data in a new window
Scientific Name Chthonos sp.
Location French Guiana. Commune Regina. Les Nouragues Field Station
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Identified By Jonathan Coddington
Behavior Eggsacs of Chthonos are small and cubical--one of the few cubical constructions in the animal kingdo
Sex Female
Life Cycle Stage eggsac
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © Jonathan Coddington
Scientific Name Ogulnius sp.
Location Costa Rica
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Identified By Jonathan Coddington
Behavior Ogulnius webs lack frames and apparent radii are actually remnants of exploration behavior, not ster
Life Cycle Stage adult
Size 10cm
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © Jonathan Coddington
Scientific Name Theridiosoma gemmosum
Location North Carolina
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Identified By Jonathan Coddington
Behavior Most theridiosomatid genera make a "temporary circle" (derived) rather than the plesiomorphic tempor
Sex Female
Life Cycle Stage adult
Size ca 20 cm high
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © Jonathan Coddington
Scientific Name Theridiosoma gemmosum
Location North Carolina
Specimen Condition Live Specimen
Identified By Jonathan Coddington
Behavior Several theridiosomatid genera actively distort the planar orb into a cone by reeling in a silk line
Sex Female
Life Cycle Stage ad
Size ca. 20 cm high
Image Use creative commons This media file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License - Version 3.0.
Copyright © Jonathan Coddington
About This Page

All Rights Reserved.

Citing this page:

Tree of Life Web Project. 2006. Theridiosomatidae. Version 07 December 2006 (temporary). http://tolweb.org/Theridiosomatidae/2801/2006.12.07 in The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/

edit this page
close box

This page is a Tree of Life Branch Page.

Each ToL branch page provides a synopsis of the characteristics of a group of organisms representing a branch of the Tree of Life. The major distinction between a branch and a leaf of the Tree of Life is that each branch can be further subdivided into descendent branches, that is, subgroups representing distinct genetic lineages.

For a more detailed explanation of the different ToL page types, have a look at the Structure of the Tree of Life page.

close box

Theridiosomatidae

Page Content

articles & notes

collections

people

Explore Other Groups

random page

  go to the Tree of Life home page
top