Pholcidae C. L. Koch, 1850

Family |   ACCEPTED

N.B.: for comments on the monophyly and relationships of many genera see Huber, 1998d and Huber, 2000; the division of Pholcidae into five subfamilies, Ninetinae Simon, 1890, Arteminae Simon, 1893, Modisiminae Simon, 1893, Smeringopinae Simon, 1893 and Pholcinae, is confirmed by Huber, Eberle & Dimitrov, 2018; two additional subfamilies are described by Meng et al., 2026: 99, 113 (Caipirinae Meng, Carvalho, Podsiadlowski & Huber, 2026 and Physocyclinae Meng, Carvalho, Podsiadlowski & Huber, 2026).

In synonymy:

Mariguitaia González-Sponga, 2004 = Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987 (Huber, 2009a: 66)

Gen. Micropholcus Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987 urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:00400
type Pholcus fauroti Simon, 1887; gender masculine
N.B.: considered a senior synonym of Mariguitaia González-Sponga, 2004a: 64 [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:03801] (type M. divergentis González-Sponga, 2004) by Huber, 2009a: 66.

In synonymy:

Micropholcus chavanei (Millot, 1946, T from Pholcus) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987: 73)

Micropholcus conicus (Franganillo, 1931) = Micropholcus delicatulus (Franganillo, 1930) (Franganillo, 1936b: 78, sub Leptopholcus)

Micropholcus divergentis (González-Sponga, 2004, T from Mariguitaia) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Huber, 2009a: 66)

Micropholcus infirmus (Thorell, 1895, T from Pholcus) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987: 73)

Micropholcus museorum (González-Sponga, 2004, T from Mariguitaia) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Huber, 2009a: 66)

Micropholcus neoespartana (González-Sponga, 2004, T from Mariguitaia) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Huber, 2009a: 66)

Micropholcus occidentalis (Mello-Leitão, 1929, T from Micromerys) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Huber, 2000: 55)

Micropholcus senegalensis (Millot, 1940, T from Pholcus) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987: 73)

Micropholcus sucrensis (González-Sponga, 2004, T from Mariguitaia) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Huber, 2009a: 66)

Micropholcus unicolor (Petrunkevitch, 1929, T from Pholcus) = Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) (Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987: 73)

Micropholcus abha Huber, 2024 | | Saudi Arabia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062350
Micropholcus abha Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 135, f. 3E, 35A-C, 36A-E, 37A-C, 38A-D (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus agadir (Huber, 2011) | | Morocco urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:044794
Pholcus agadir Huber, 2011b: 331, f. 1530-1531, 1553-1554, 1606-1611 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus agadir Huber, Eberle & Dimitrov, 2018: 99 (T from Pholcus)
Micropholcus agadir Huber & Meng, 2024: 158, f. 4D-E, 60A-C, 61A-E, 62A-C, 63A-E (mf)
Micropholcus alfara Huber, 2024 | | Saudi Arabia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062349
Micropholcus alfara Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 131, f. 3C-D, 6A-B, 7A-B, 9A, 11D-E, 31A-C, 32A-E, 33A-C, 34A-D (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus baoruco (Huber, 2006) | | Dominican Rep. urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039649
Leptopholcus baoruco Huber in Huber & Wunderlich, 2006: 2342, f. 1a-b, 2a-b, g-i, 3a-e, 4a-m, 9a (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus baoruco Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus bashayer Huber, 2024 | | Saudi Arabia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062352
Micropholcus bashayer Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 142, f. 3G, 43A-C, 44A-E, 45A-C, 46A-D (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus brazlandia (Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005) | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039650
Leptopholcus brazlandia Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005: 100, f. 2-3, 8-9, 14-18 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus brazlandia Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus bukidnon Huber, 2024 | | Philippines urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062358
Micropholcus bukidnon Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 171, f. 4H, 5E-F, 6H, 8G-HH, 9E, J, 10G-H, 11J, 12H, 72A-C, 73A-E, 74A-D, 75A-E (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus crato Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047486
Micropholcus crato Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 439, f. 14, 38-42 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus dalei (Petrunkevitch, 1929) | | Puerto Rico, Virgin Is. urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003431
Micromerys dalei Petrunkevitch, 1929b: 150, f. 144-148 (Dmf) Original description
Micromerys dalei Bryant, 1940: 296 (S of Leptopholcus delicatulus, revalidated by Huber & Pérez, 1998: 251)
Leptopholcus dalei Deeleman-Reinhold, 1986a: 206 (T from Micromerys)
Leptopholcus dalei Deeleman-Reinhold, 1986b: 47 (T from Micromerys)
Leptopholcus dalei Huber, 1997b: 356, f. 22A-E, 23A-B, 24, 26A (mf)
Leptopholcus dalei Huber & Pérez, 1998: 251, f. 6-10 (mf)
Leptopholcus dalei Huber, 1998c: 595, f. 8M (m)
Leptopholcus dalei Huber, 2000: 77, f. 27, 105, 302-305, 309 (mf)
Micropholcus dalei Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus darbat Huber, 2024 | | Oman urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062354
Micropholcus darbat Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 151, f. 4A-B, 5B, 6D-E, 7H, 8A-C, 9C, 10C-D, 11B, G-H, 52A-C, 52A-E, 54A-C, 55A-C (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus delicatulus (Franganillo, 1930) | | Cuba urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003433
Leptopholcus delicatulus Franganillo, 1930: 15 (Df) Original description
Leptopholcus conicus Franganillo, 1931c: 286 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060402]
Leptopholcus conicus Franganillo, 1936b: 78 (S of Leptopholcus conicus; erroneously used younger name)
Leptopholcus delicatulus Huber & Pérez, 1998: 251, f. 1-5, 11-20 (mf, removed from S of Leptopholcus dalei, contra Bryant, 1940: 296)
Leptopholcus delicatulus Huber, 2000: 77, f. 291-294, 306 (mf)
Micropholcus delicatulus Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus dhahran Huber, 2024 | | Saudi Arabia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062347
Micropholcus dhahran Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 123, f. 3A, 23A-C, 24A-E, 25A-C, 26A-D (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus evaluna (Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005) | | Venezuela urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039651
Leptopholcus evaluna Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005: 103, f. 6-7, 12-13, 24-28 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus evaluna Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887) | | Temperate Asia. Introduced to both Americas, St. Helena, Belgium, Germany, Africa, Middle East, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Australia, Pacific Is. urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003581 TYPE SPECIES
Pholcus fauroti Simon, 1887e: 453 (Dmf) Original description
Pholcus infirmus Thorell, 1895b: 72 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060404]
Pholcus unicolor Petrunkevitch, 1929b: 147, f. 139-143 (Dmf) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060410]
Leptopholcus occidentalis Mello-Leitão, 1929c: 95, f. 6 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060407]
Pholcus senegalensis Millot, 1941: 14, f. 5 bis A-B (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060408]
Pholcus chavanei Millot, 1946a: 130, f. 2A-B (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060401]
Micromerys occidentalis Mello-Leitão, 1946a: 75 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus fauroti Deeleman-Reinhold & Prinsen, 1987: 73, f. 1-9 (mf, T from Pholcus, S of Pholcus chavanei, P. infirmus, P. senegalensis and P. unicolor, for P. unicolor confirming Roth, 1985: B-33-1)
Micropholcus fauroti Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999: 52, f. 22T-Y (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Huber, 2000: 55, f. 26, 47, 106, 123, 158-159 (S of Micromerys occidentalis)
Micropholcus fauroti Irie, 2000b: 215, f. 1-4 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Deeleman-Reinhold & van Harten, 2001: 199, f. 19-20 (f)
Micropholcus fauroti Van Keer & Van Keer, 2001: 83, f. 4.1-9 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Saaristo, 2001b: 12, f. 7-15 (mf)
Mariguitaia divergentis González-Sponga, 2004a: 64, pl. 1, f. 1-9 (Dmf) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060403]
Mariguitaia museorum González-Sponga, 2004a: 68, pl. 2, f. 1-9 (Dmf) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060405]
Mariguitaia neoespartana González-Sponga, 2004a: 70, pl. 3, f. 1-9 (Dmf) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060406]
Mariguitaia sucrensis González-Sponga, 2004a: 72, pl. 4, f. 1-7 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:060409]
Micropholcus fauroti Beatty, Berry & Huber, 2008: 12, f. 21-22, 56-57 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Irie, 2009: 106, f. 6-8 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Huber, 2009a: 66 (S of Mariguitaia divergentis, M. museorum, M. neoespartana and M. occidentalis)
Micropholcus fauroti Saaristo, 2010: 163, f. 25.21-30 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Huber, 2011b: 26, f. 1, 30-31, 48-49, 83-101 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Huber et al., 2017: 14, f. 4-7 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Vishnudas & Sudhikumar, 2021: 60, f. 1-8 (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Huber & Meng, 2024: 116, f. 16A-C, 17A-E, 18A-D (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Sherwood et al., 2024e: 1251, f. 32A-C (m)
Micropholcus fauroti Murcia-Moreno & Gálvez, 2025: 6, f. 6A-E (mf)
Micropholcus fauroti Sherwood et al., 2026c: 17, f. 8H-I (m)
Micropholcus ghar Huber, 2024 | | Morocco urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062356
Micropholcus ghar Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 162, f. 4F, 5C-D, H, 6F-G, 8D-F, 9D, H-I, 10E-F, 11C, I, 12E-G, 64A-C, 65A-E, 66A-C, 67A-C (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus ghar Lecigne, Moutaouakil & Lips, 2025: 141, f. 100H-L (m)
Micropholcus harajah Huber, 2024 | | Saudi Arabia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062348
Micropholcus harajah Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 127, f. 3B, 27A-C, 28A-E, 29A-C, 30A-D (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus hispaniola (Huber, 2000) | | Dominican Rep. urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003436
Leptopholcus hispaniola Huber, 2000: 77, f. 300-301 (Dm; f f. 308 from Haiti is misidentified and belongs to an undescribed species per Huber & Wunderlich, 2006: 2350) Original description
Leptopholcus hispaniola Huber in Huber & Wunderlich, 2006: 2347, f. 2c-d, j, 5a-d, 6a-m, 9b (m, Df)
Micropholcus hispaniola Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus jacominae Deeleman-Reinhold & van Harten, 2001 | | Yemen urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:037487
Micropholcus jacominae Deeleman-Reinhold & van Harten, 2001: 199, f. 17-18, 21-26 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus jacominae Huber & Meng, 2024: 117, f. 19A-C, 20A-F, 21A-C, 22A-C (mf)
Micropholcus jamaica (Huber, 2000) | | Jamaica urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003437
Leptopholcus jamaica Huber, 2000: 79, f. 295-299, 307 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus jamaica Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus khenifra Huber, Lecigne & Lips, 2024 | | Morocco urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062357
Micropholcus khenifra Huber, Lecigne & Lips in Huber & Meng, 2024: 167, f. 4G, 68A-C, 69A-F, 70A-C, 71A-C (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus khenifra Lecigne, Moutaouakil & Lips, 2025: 100, f. 60A-L, 61A-D (mf)
Micropholcus maysaan Huber, 2024 | | Saudi Arabia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062353
Micropholcus maysaan Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 146, f. 3H, 47A-C, 48A-E, 49A-C, 50A-D, 51A-D (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus pataxo (Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005) | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039652
Leptopholcus pataxo Huber, Pérez & Baptista, 2005: 103, f. 4-5, 10-11, 19-23 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus pataxo Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus piaui Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047485
Micropholcus piaui Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435, f. 9-10, 13, 17-37 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus piracuruca Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047487
Micropholcus piracuruca Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 440, f. 15, 43-47 (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus shaat Huber, 2024 | | Oman urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062355
Micropholcus shaat Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 155, f. 4C, 56A-C, 57A-E, 58A-C, 59A-E (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus tanomah Huber, 2024 | | Saudi Arabia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062351
Micropholcus tanomah Huber in Huber & Meng, 2024: 139, f. 3F, 5A, G, 6C, 7C-G, 9B, F-G, 10A-B, 11A, F, 12A-D, 39A-C, 40A-E, 41A-C, 42A-D (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus tegulifer Barrientos, 2019 | | Morocco urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:051268
Micropholcus tegulifer Barrientos in Barrientos, Brañas & Mederos, 2019: 6, f. 6-12, 13C-H (Dmf) Original description
Micropholcus tegulifer Lecigne, Moutaouakil & Lips, 2025: 104, f. 62A-I (mf)
Micropholcus toma (Huber, 2006) | | Dominican Rep. urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039653
Leptopholcus toma Huber in Huber & Wunderlich, 2006: 2353, f. 2e-f, k, 7a-d, 8a-m, 9c-d (Dmf) Original description
Leptopholcus toma Penney, 2008: 76, f. 5.25 (m)
Micropholcus toma Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 435 (T from Leptopholcus)
Micropholcus ubajara Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047488
Micropholcus ubajara Huber, Carvalho & Benjamin, 2014: 444, f. 4, 11-12, 16, 48-65 (Dmf) Original description

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