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:

Oophora Hentz, 1850 = Spermophora Hentz, 1841 (Thorell, 1869: 102)

Rachus Walckenaer, 1847 = Spermophora Hentz, 1841 (Thorell, 1869: 102)

Simonius Kishida, 1913 = Spermophora Hentz, 1841 (Yaginuma, 1974a: 170)

Gen. Spermophora Hentz, 1841 urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:00420
type Spermophora meridionalis Hentz, 1841; gender feminine; syn. of Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836)
N.B.: considered a senior synonym of Rachus Walckenaer, 1847a: 459 [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:05911] (type Pholcus quadripunctatus Lucas, 1846 = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836)) and of Oophora Hentz, 1850: 285 [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:05940] (type Spermophora meridionalis Hentz, 1841 = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836)) by Thorell, 1869: 102; considered a senior synonym of Simonius Kishida, 1913c: 1020 [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:04945] (type S. typicus Kishida, 1913 = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836)) by Yaginuma, 1974a: 170.

Transferred to other genera:

Spermophora akebona Komatsu, 1961 -- see Belisana

Spermophora amabilis Paik, 1978 -- see Belisana

Spermophora andrei Millot, 1946 -- see Zatavua

Spermophora anhuiensis Xu & Wang, 1984 -- see Belisana

Spermophora ankaranae Millot, 1946 -- see Zatavua

Spermophora baso Roewer, 1963 -- see Savarna

Spermophora caesaris Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora combesi Millot, 1946 -- see Paramicromerys

Spermophora comoroensis Butler, 1879 -- see Loxosceles

Spermophora cuneata Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora dubia Kulczyński, 1911 -- see Panjange

Spermophora elevata Simon, 1874 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora elongata Yin & Wang, 1981 -- see Cantikus

Spermophora ensifera Tullgren, 1910 -- see Buitinga

Spermophora esperanza Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora fagei Millot, 1946 -- see Zatavua

Spermophora faveauxi Lawrence, 1967 -- see Pholcus

Spermophora forcipata Tu, 1994 -- see Belisana

Spermophora fuerteventurensis Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora gibbifer Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora globosa Tullgren, 1910 -- see Buitinga

Spermophora gomerensis Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora hermiguensis Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora heterogibbifer Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora huberti Senglet, 1973 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora imerinensis Millot, 1946 -- see Zatavua

Spermophora impudica Millot, 1946 -- see Zatavua

Spermophora junkoae Irie, 1997 -- see Belisana

Spermophora limpida Simon, 1909 -- see Belisana

Spermophora lingua Schmidt, 1956 -- see Metagonia

Spermophora longiventris Simon, 1893 -- see Uthina

Spermophora madagascariensis Fage, 1945 -- see Zatavua

Spermophora mamma Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora mammata Senglet, 1973 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora mediterranea Senglet, 1973 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora megaceros Millot, 1946 -- see Paramicromerys

Spermophora mercedes Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora miser Bristowe, 1952 -- see Savarna

Spermophora nigrescens Berland, 1920 -- see Buitinga

Spermophora petraea Senglet, 1973 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora pseudomamma Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora punctata Millot, 1946 -- see Zatavua

Spermophora rollofoliolata Wang, 1983 -- see Belisana

Spermophora sciakyi Pesarini, 1984 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora simoni Senglet, 1973 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora speophila Chamberlin & Ivie, 1938 -- see Anopsicus

Spermophora strinatii Brignoli, 1972 -- see Metagonia

Spermophora tenerifensis Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora tesselata Simon, 1901 -- see Savarna

Spermophora tilos Wunderlich, 1987 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora unicolor Keyserling, 1891 -- see Metagonia

Spermophora valentiana Senglet, 1973 -- see Spermophorides

Spermophora yadongensis Hu, 1985 -- see Belisana

Spermophora yanbaruensis Irie, 2002 -- see Belisana

In synonymy:

Spermophora domestica Yin & Wang, 1981 = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836) (Yin et al., 2012: 175)

Spermophora meridionalis Hentz, 1841 = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836) (Yaginuma, 1974a: 170)

Spermophora quadripunctata (Lucas, 1846) = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836) (Simon, 1866a: 119, sub Pholcus)

Spermophora ressenensis (Drensky, 1929, T from Comaroma) = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836) (Deltshev & Blagoev, 2001: 110)

Spermophora topolia Roewer, 1928 = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836) (Wunderlich, 1992a: 324)

Spermophora typica (Kishida, 1913, T from Simonius) = Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836) (Yaginuma, 1974a: 170)

Homonym replaced:

Spermophora maculata Thorell, 1898 -- see Spermophora thorelli Roewer, 1942 Roewer, 1942a: 346

Spermophora abibae Huber, 2014 | | Congo urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:046980
Spermophora abibae Huber in Huber, Le Gall & Mavoungou, 2014: 35, f. 84-93 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora akwamu Huber & Kwapong, 2013 | | Ghana, Gabon urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:046604
Spermophora akwamu Huber & Kwapong, 2013: 31, f. 11-13, 77-91 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora awalai Huber, 2014 | | Cameroon urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:046981
Spermophora awalai Huber in Huber, Le Gall & Mavoungou, 2014: 38, f. 5-6, 97-107 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora berlandi Fage, 1936 | | Kenya urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003898
Spermophora berlandi Fage in Fage & Simon, 1936: 317, f. 10-11 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora berlandi Huber, 2003b: 601, f. 23, 46, 262-267, 284-285 (mf)
Spermophora bukusu Huber & Warui, 2012 | | Kenya, Uganda urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:045540
Spermophora bukusu Huber & Warui, 2012: 32, f. 45, 47-49, 68, 97-101 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora deelemanae Huber, 2005 | | Indonesia (Ambon) urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039672
Spermophora deelemanae Huber, 2005b: 68, f. 8, 54-56 (Dm) Original description
Spermophora dieke Huber, 2009 | | Guinea urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:042721
Spermophora dieke Huber, 2009b: 2514, f. 12, 36-40, 124-127 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora dumoga Huber, 2005 | | Indonesia (Sulawesi) urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039673
Spermophora dumoga Huber, 2005b: 66, f. 5-6, 16, 43-46, 49 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora estebani Simon, 1892 | | Philippines urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003904
Spermophora estebani Simon, 1892c: 42 (Df) Original description
Spermophora estebani Huber, 2005b: 70, f. 11, 19-20, 72-80 (f, Dm)
Spermophora falcata Yao & Li, 2013 | | Laos urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:046157
Spermophora falcata Yao & Li, 2013: 43, f. 38A-D, 39A-E, 40A-E (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora gordimerae Huber, 2003 | | South Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038460
Spermophora gordimerae Huber, 2003d: 517, f. 27, 49, 232-237 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora jocquei Huber, 2003 | | Comoros, Mayotte urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038461
Spermophora jocquei Huber, 2003b: 605, f. 288-291 (Dm) Original description
Spermophora kaindi Huber, 2005 | | New Guinea urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039674
Spermophora kaindi Huber, 2005b: 69, f. 10, 69-71 (Dm) Original description
Spermophora kerinci Huber, 2005 | | Indonesia (Sumatra, Bali). Introduced to Britain, Netherlands, Germany, Austria urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039675
Spermophora kerinci Huber, 2005b: 65, f. 1-2, 14, 22-26, 32-38, 47 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora kerinci Noordijk, 2020: 106, f. 1 (m)
Spermophora kerinci Vaněk, Hörweg & Milasowszky, 2022: 100, f. 1 (f)
Spermophora kirinyaga Huber & Warui, 2012 | | Kenya urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:045541
Spermophora kirinyaga Huber & Warui, 2012: 34, f. 10, 50-52, 102-106 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora kivu Huber, 2003 | | Congo urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038462
Spermophora kivu Huber, 2003b: 600, f. 22, 258-261 (Dm) Original description
Spermophora kyambura Huber & Warui, 2012 | | Cameroon to Uganda urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:045542
Spermophora kyambura Huber & Warui, 2012: 36, f. 57-58, 69, 107-110 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora lambilloni Huber, 2003 | | Comoros urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038463
Spermophora lambilloni Huber, 2003b: 605, f. 25, 49, 274-279, 286-287 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora luzonica Huber, 2005 | | Philippines urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039676
Spermophora luzonica Huber, 2005b: 71, f. 81-85 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora maathaiae Huber & Warui, 2012 | | Kenya urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:045539
Spermophora maathaiae Huber & Warui, 2012: 29, f. 46, 66-67, 92-96 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora maculata Keyserling, 1891 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003915
Spermophora maculata Keyserling, 1891: 177, pl. 6, f. 122 (Df, may be misplaced in this family, per Huber, 2000: 345) Original description
Spermophora maculata Mello-Leitão, 1918c: 110, f. 25 (f)
Spermophora maculata Mello-Leitão, 1922a: 211, f. 5 (Dm)
Spermophora maros Huber, 2005 | | Indonesia (Sulawesi) urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039677
Spermophora maros Huber, 2005b: 67, f. 7, 17, 50-53 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora masisiwe Huber, 2003 | | Tanzania urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038464
Spermophora masisiwe Huber, 2003b: 599, f. 21, 45, 244-249, 255-257 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora mau Huber & Warui, 2012 | | Kenya urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:045538
Spermophora mau Huber & Warui, 2012: 27, f. 9, 40-44, 87-91 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora minotaura Berland, 1920 | | East Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003920
Spermophora minotaura Berland, 1920c: 133, f. 154-161 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora minotaura Berland, 1932b: 276, f. 416 (m)
Spermophora minotaura Huber, 2003b: 602, f. 24, 47-48, 268-273, 280-283 (mf)
Spermophora morogoro Huber, 2003 | | Tanzania urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038465
Spermophora morogoro Huber, 2003b: 594, f. 18, 42, 221-233 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora palau Huber, 2005 | | Caroline Is. urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039678
Spermophora palau Huber, 2005b: 68, f. 9, 18, 57-68 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora palau Beatty, Berry & Huber, 2008: 23, f. 10-11, 36 (mf)
Spermophora paluma Huber, 2001 | | Australia (Queensland) urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:036973
Spermophora paluma Huber, 2001: 126, f. 406-415 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora pembai Huber, 2003 | | South Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038466
Spermophora pembai Huber, 2003d: 519, f. 28, 252-255 (Dm) Original description
Spermophora peninsulae Lawrence, 1964 | | South Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003923
Spermophora peninsulae Lawrence, 1964: 65, f. 9-14 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora peninsulae Huber, 2003d: 519, f. 29, 50, 238-243, 248-251 (mf)
Spermophora persica Senglet, 2008 | | Iran urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:042173
Spermophora persica Senglet, 2008: 372, f. 107-117 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora ranomafana Huber, 2003 | | Madagascar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039240
Spermophora ranomafana Huber, 2003a: 304, f. 218-220, 224-237 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora sangarawe Huber, 2003 | | Tanzania urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038467
Spermophora sangarawe Huber, 2003b: 596, f. 19, 43, 234-237 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora schoemanae Huber, 2003 | | South Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038468
Spermophora schoemanae Huber, 2003d: 516, f. 26, 48, 226-231, 244-247 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora senoculata (Dugès, 1836) | | Middle East. Introduced to USA, Jamaica, southern Europe, China, Korea, Japan urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003927 TYPE SPECIES
Pholcus senoculatus Dugès, 1836a: 160 (D) Original description
Spermophora meridionalis Hentz, 1841a: 116, pl. 17, f. 9 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:057483]
Pholcus quadri-punctatus Lucas, 1846: 239, pl. 15, f. 2 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:057482]
Rachus quadripunctatus Walckenaer, 1847a: 459
Oophora meridionalis Hentz, 1850: 286, pl. 10, f. 9 (f)
Pholcus sex-oculatus Simon, 1866a: 119, pl. 2, f. 8-9 (lapsus, S of Pholcus quadripunctatus)
Spermophora meridionalis Emerton, 1882: 31, pl. 6, f. 3 (f)
Spermophora senoculata Chyzer & Kulczyński, 1891: 150
Spermophora meridionalis Petrunkevitch, 1910: 208, pl. 21, f. 5 (Dm)
Simonius typicus Kishida, 1913f: 1020 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:057485]
Spermophora senoculata Simon, 1914: 238, f. 492 (mf)
Spermophora topolia Roewer, 1928b: 120, pl. 2, f. 35-36 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:057484]
Comaroma ressenensis Drensky, 1929: 36, 70, pl. 3, f. 9-10 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:009098]
Comaroma resnensis Drensky, 1935: 105 (lapsus, Dm)
Spermophora meridionalis Gertsch, 1939a: 1, f. 3 (m)
Spermophora topolia Hadjissarantos, 1940: 48, f. 15 (Df)
Simonius typicus Shinkai, 1969: 11, f. 5 (f)
Spermophora senoculata Dresco & Hubert, 1969: 170, f. 1-5 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Yaginuma, 1974a: 170 (S of Simonius typicus and Spermophora meridionalis)
Spermophora senoculata Yaginuma, 1975b: 23, f. A-D (m)
Spermophora senoculata Miller & Žitňanská, 1976a: 81, pl. I, f. 1-3 (mf)
Spermophora domestica Yin & Wang, 1981c: 378, f. 1A-F (Dmf) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003900]
Spermophora senoculata Zhu, 1983: 17 (S of Spermophora domestica)
Spermophora senoculata Yaginuma, 1986a: 29, f. 17.7 (m)
Spermophora domestica Song, 1987: 111, f. 74 (mf; regarded as valid, contra Zhu, 1983: 17)
Spermophora senoculata Chikuni, 1989b: 27, f. 2 (mf)
Spermophora domestica Chen & Zhang, 1991: 76, f. 68.1-4 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Heimer & Nentwig, 1991: 40, f. 84 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Wunderlich, 1992a: 324 (S of Spermophora topolia)
Spermophora senoculata Paik, 1996b: 23, f. 1-7 (m)
Spermophora senoculata Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999: 65, f. 26B'-D' (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Szinetár, Kenyeres & Kovács, 1999: 162, f. 2A-C (f)
Spermophora senoculata Huber, 2000: 11, f. 11, 24-25, 70-71, 122, 162, 193 (m)
Spermophora senoculata Senglet, 2001: 50, f. 29-30, 46-49 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Deltshev & Blagoev, 2001: 110 (S of Comaroma ressenensis)
Spermophora senoculata Van Keer & Van Keer, 2001: 83, f. 5.1-5 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Namkung, 2002: 50, f. 5.9a-c (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Kim & Cho, 2002: 60, f. 13-18 (m)
Spermophora senoculata Huber, 2002b: 105, f. 1-13 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Namkung, 2003: 52, f. 5.9a-c (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Lee & Kim, 2003: 117, f. 100-106 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Deltshev, 2003: 137, f. 13-16 (f)
Spermophora senoculata Trotta, 2005: 171, f. 379-380 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Jocqué & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2006: 206, f. 80j-l (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Kovács, Szinetár & Eichardt, 2008: 125, f. 1 (m)
Spermophora senoculata Senglet, 2008: 370, f. 106 (f)
Spermophora senoculata Irie, 2009: 111, f. 46-47 (m)
Spermophora senoculata Le Peru, 2011: 157, f. 201-202 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Zhu & Zhang, 2011: 51, f. 23A-D (mf, probable S of Spermophora domestica)
Spermophora senoculata Yin et al., 2012: 175, f. 37a-g (mf, S of Spermophora domestica; confirming Zhu, 1983: 17)
Spermophora senoculata Schifani et al., 2019: 6, f. 1 (mf)
Spermophora senoculata Iwanaga et al., 2024: 44, f. A-D (mf)
Spermophora senoculatoides Senglet, 2008 | | Iran urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:042172
Spermophora senoculatoides Senglet, 2008: 370, f. 96-105 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora sumbawa Huber, 2005 | | Indonesia (Sunda Is.) urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039679
Spermophora sumbawa Huber, 2005b: 71, f. 12-13, 21, 86-103 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora suurbraak Huber, 2003 | | South Africa urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038469
Spermophora suurbraak Huber, 2003d: 521, f. 30, 256-258 (Dm) Original description
Spermophora thorelli Roewer, 1942 | | Myanmar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:003930
Spermophora maculata Thorell, 1898: 276 (Df; preoccupied by Keyserling, 1891, see Spermophora maculata) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:066783]
Spermophora thorelli Roewer, 1942a: 346 (replacement name) Original description
Spermophora thorelli Yao, Tavano & Li, 2013: 307, f. 5A-B (f)
Spermophora tonkoui Huber, 2003 | | Guinea, Ivory Coast urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038470
Spermophora tonkoui Huber, 2003b: 607, f. 50, 292-298 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora tumbang Huber, 2005 | | Borneo urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:039680
Spermophora tumbang Huber, 2005b: 65, f. 3-4, 15, 27-31, 39-42, 48 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora usambara Huber, 2003 | | Tanzania urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038471
Spermophora usambara Huber, 2003b: 598, f. 20, 44, 238-243, 250-254 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora vyvato Huber, 2003 | | Madagascar urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:038472
Spermophora vyvato Huber, 2003a: 306, f. 221-223, 238-243 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora yao Huber, 2001 | | Australia (Queensland) urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:036974
Spermophora yao Huber, 2001: 126, f. 392-405 (Dmf) Original description
Spermophora ziama Huber & Kwapong, 2013 | | Guinea urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:046605
Spermophora ziama Huber & Kwapong, 2013: 34, f. 92-105 (Dmf) Original description

Sponsors