The anyphaenid sac spiders (family Anyphaenidae) are distinguished from the sac spiders and other spider

Spider

Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...

s by having the abdominal spiracle placed one third to one half of the way anterior to the spinnerets toward the epigastric furrow on the underside of the abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

. In most spiders the spiracle is just anterior to the spinnerets. Like clubionids, anyphaenids have eight eyes arranged in two rows, conical anterior spinnerets and are wandering predators that built silken

Spider silk

Spider silk is a protein fiber spun by spiders. Spiders use their silk to make webs or other structures, which function as nets to catch other animals, or as nests or cocoons for protection for their offspring...

 retreats, or sacs, usually on plant terminals, between leaves, under bark or under rocks. There are more than 500 species in over 50 genera worldwide.

The family is widespread and includes such common genera as Anyphaena (worldwide except tropical Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 and Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

) and Hibana (New World

New World

The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...

). Only one species (A. accentuata) occurs in northwestern Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

.

Species in the latter genus are important predators in several agricultural

Agriculture

Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...

 systems, especially tree crops. They are able to detect and feed on insect eggs, despite their poor eyesight. They share this ability at least with some miturgid spiders.

The depicted spider, Hibana velox

Hibana velox

Hibana velox is a common spider of North America, for example Texas and Alabama. It can be found in foliage and in houses. It is useful in preying on insects like the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella .-References:* Becker, L. . Diagnoses de nouvelles aranéides américaines. Ann. Soc. ent...

, is a common spider of this family in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Systematics

The categorization into subfamilies follows Joel Hallan.http://insects.tamu.edu/research/collection/hallan/Acari/Family/Anyphaenidae.txt

• Amaurobioidinae Hickman, 1949
• Amaurobioidini Hickman, 1949

• Acanthoceto Mello-Leitão, 1944
• Amaurobioides O. P.-Cambridge, 1883
• Axyracrus Simon, 1884
• Aysenia Tullgren, 1902
• Aysenoides Ramírez, 2003
• Coptoprepes Simon, 1884
• Ferrieria Tullgren, 1901
• Gamakia Ramírez, 2003
• Josa Keyserling, 1891
• Negayan Ramírez, 2003
• Selknamia Ramírez, 2003
  • Gayennini Ramirez, 2003
• Arachosia O. P.-Cambridge, 1882
• Araiya Ramírez, 2003
• Gayenna Nicolet, 1849
• Gayennoides Ramírez, 2003
• Monapia Simon, 1897
• Oxysoma Nicolet, 1849
• Phidyle Simon, 1880
• Philisca Simon, 1884
• Sanogasta
  Sañogasta
  Sañogasta is a municipality and village in La Rioja Province in northwestern Argentina.-References:...
  
  Mello-Leitão, 1941
• Tasata Simon, 1903
• Tomopisthes Simon, 1884

• Anyphaeninae Bertkau, 1878
• Alijassa Brescovit, 1997
• Anyphaena Sundevall, 1833
• Anyphaenoides Berland, 1913
• Australaena Berland, 1942
• Aysha Keyserling, 1891
• Bromelina Brescovit, 1993
• Buckupiella Brescovit, 1997
• Hatitia Brescovit, 1997
• Hibana
  Hibana
  Hibana is a spider genus that is found from the United States to Brazil, including the West Indies. It includes the yellow ghost spider of North America, which was formerly categorized in a different genus as Aysha velox.-Species:...
  
  Brescovit, 1991
• Iguarima Brescovit, 1997
• Ilocomba Brescovit, 1997
• Isigonia Simon, 1897
• Italaman Brescovit, 1997
• Katissa Brescovit, 1997
• Lepajan Brescovit, 1993
• Lupettiana Brescovit, 1997
• Macrophyes O. P.-Cambridge, 1893
• Mesilla Simon, 1903
• Osoriella Mello-Leitão, 1922
• Otoniela Brescovit, 1997
• Patrera Simon, 1903
• Pippuhana Brescovit, 1997
• Sillus F. O. P.-Cambridge, 1900
• Tafana Simon, 1903
• Temnida Simon, 1896
• Teudis O. P.-Cambridge, 1896
• Thaloe Brescovit, 1993
• Timbuka Brescovit, 1997
• Umuara Brescovit, 1997
• Wulfila O. P.-Cambridge, 1895
• Wulfilopsis Soares & Camargo, 1955
• Xiruana Brescovit, 1997

• Malenellinae Ramirez, 1995
• Malenella Ramírez, 1995

External links

• Family Anyphaenidae Sac spiders, ghost spiders (2008): The world spider catalog, version 8.5. American Museum of Natural History.

• Video of Hibana, an anyphaenid from Florida