Leptonetidae
Family of spiders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]
| Leptonetids Temporal range: | |
|---|---|
| |
| Tayshaneta anopica | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Leptonetidae Simon, 1890 |
| Diversity | |
| 22 genera, 400 species | |
 | |
| blue: reported countries (WSC) | |
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 October 2025[update], this family includes 22 genera and 400 species:[5]
- Appaleptoneta Platnick, 1986 – United States
- Barusia Kratochvíl, 1978 – Croatia, Greece, Montenegro
- Calileptoneta Platnick, 1986 – United States
- Cataleptoneta Denis, 1955 – Israel, Lebanon, Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece
- Chisoneta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 – Mexico, United States
- Falcileptoneta Komatsu, 1970 – Eastern Asia
- Jingneta Wang & Li, 2020 – China
- Leptoneta Simon, 1872 – Algeria, Korea, Italy, Portugal, Spain, France
- Leptonetela Kratochvíl, 1978 – China, Vietnam, Caucasus, Iran?, Turkey, Greece
- Longileptoneta Seo, 2015 – China, Japan, Korea
- Masirana Kishida, 1942 – Japan, Korea, Taiwan
- Montanineta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 – United States
- Neoleptoneta Brignoli, 1972 – Mexico
- Ozarkia Ledford & Griswold, 2011 – United States
- Paraleptoneta Fage, 1913 – Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, France
- Pararana Lin & Li, 2022 – China
- Protoleptoneta Deltshev, 1972 – Austria, Bulgaria, Italy, Slovenia, France
- Rhyssoleptoneta Tong & Li, 2007 – China
- Sulcia Kratochvíl, 1938 – Southern Europe
- Tayshaneta Ledford & Griswold, 2011 – United States
- Teloleptoneta Ribera, 1988 – Portugal
- Yueleptoneta Tong, 2022 – China
Two genera have been moved to the family Archoleptonetidae:[6]
- Archoleptoneta Gertsch, 1974 — United States
- Darkoneta Ledford & Griswold, 2010 — North America, Central America
