Cybaeidae
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| Cybaeidae Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cybaeus charlesi | |
 | |
| Dirksia cinctipes in Canada | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Cybaeidae Banks, 1892 |
| Diversity | |
| 24 genera, 303 species | |
Cybaeidae is a family of spiders first described by Nathan Banks in 1892.[1] There are small to large sized entelegyne spiders, which are ecribellate.[2] The diving bell spider or water spider Argyroneta aquatica was previously included in this family, but is now in the family Dictynidae.[3][4] The distribution of this species resembles closely a typical Holarctic biogeography, with all of their species being found in the northern hemisphere. Where they have a tendency to live beneath rocks or woody debris in shaded and cool forest habitats, but they can also be found in caves, ant nests, and moss on tree trunks.[2] They are morphologically defined as spiders which have three claws, a single row of tarsal trichobothria, and posterior lateral spinnerets which lack a cribellum.[2]
Most of the cybaeid genera are very species rich, as they have a large number of very short-range endemic species.[2]
