Araneidae Clerck, 1757

Family |   ACCEPTED

N.B.: family name and authorship as per ICZN, 2009 Opinion 2224, after application by Kluge, 2007; Arkyinae L. Koch, 1872 (genera Arkys Walckenaer, 1837 and Demadiana Strand, 1929) elevated to Arkyidae by Dimitrov et al., 2017: 244; monophyly of Araneidae stated by Kallal et al., 2018: 138; Nephilinae Simon, 1894 [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spiderfam:0111] elevated to family and relimited by Kuntner, 2006: 24, re-synonymized with Araneidae by Dimitrov et al., 2017: 244; Nephilinae and Phonognathinae Simon, 1894 (Simon, 1894a: 746 as Phonognatheae), the valid name for Zygiellinae Simon, 1929 sensu Wunderlich, 2004f, elevated to family by Kuntner et al., 2019: 563, not accepted by Scharff et al., 2020 and Kallal et al., 2020, and confirmed as family by Kuntner et al., 2023: 969-970 along with the separation of Paraplectanoididae Kuntner, Coddington, Agnarsson & Bond, 2023; Nephilinae and Phonognathinae downgraded to subfamily and Paraplectanoididae considered a synonym of Araneidae by Hormiga et al., 2023: 803; family status of Paraplectanoididae, Nephilidae and Phonognathidae revalidated by Kuntner et al., 2025: 17, 23, but not accepted here for reasons of stability; Oarcinae (Gnolus and Oarces) transferred from the Mimetidae to the Araneidae by Dimitrov et al., 2012: Suppl. 1, p. 15, re-transfer to the Mimetidae by Eskov & Marusik, 2023: 340 not accepted here (by majority vote of the WSC boards); Eskov & Marusik, 2023: 241 and Eskov & Marusik, 2024: 52 consider Zygiellidae as the valid name instead of Phonognathidae and accept the family status of Nephilidae; the status of the Nephilinae and Phonognathinae (= Zygiellidae) as subfamilies is accepted by majority vote of the WSC boards; Eskov & Marusik, 2024: 52 list ten subfamilies and tribes as valid (besides Nephilidae and Zygiellidae): Araneinae, Argiopinae Simon, 1890a: 81 (sub Argiopidae), Cyrtarachninae Simon, 1895a: 876 (sub Cyrtarachneae), Сyrtophorinae Simon, 1895a: 876 (sub Cyrtophoreae), Gasteracanthinae O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871e: 217 (sub Gasteracanthides), Micratheninae Simon, 1895a: 848 (sub Micratheneae), Guizygiellinae Zhu, Song & Zhang, 2003: 42, Caerostrini Simon, 1895a: 831 (sub Cerostreae), Hypognathini Simon, 1895a: 871 (sub Hypognatheae) and Poltyini Simon, 1895a: 888 (sub Poltyeae).

In synonymy:

Mahadeva Keyserling, 1892 = Verrucosa McCook, 1888 (McCook, 1894: 199)

Gen. Verrucosa McCook, 1888 urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:01574
type Epeira arenata Walckenaer, 1841; gender feminine
N.B.: considered a senior synonym of Mahadeva Keyserling, 1892: 67 [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:06211] (type Epeira verrucosa Hentz, 1850 = Verrucosa arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) by McCook, 1894: 199; not a senior synonym of Pickardiana Mello-Leitão, 1943 (Levi, 1988: 472, contra Archer, 1951a: 20); not a senior synonym of Paraverrucosa Mello-Leitão, 1939 (Levi, 1991b: 370, contra Archer, 1951a: 20).

Transferred to other genera:

Verrucosa alticeps (Keyserling, 1879) -- see Alpaida

Verrucosa audax (Blackwall, 1863) -- see Parawixia

Verrucosa dimastophora Mello-Leitão, 1940 -- see Wagneriana

Verrucosa furcifera (Keyserling, 1886) -- see Carepalxis

Verrucosa longicauda Mello-Leitão, 1947 -- see Paraverrucosa

Verrucosa rubronigra Mello-Leitão, 1939 -- see Rubrepeira

Verrucosa undulata (Keyserling, 1892) -- see Parawixia

In synonymy:

Verrucosa aequiangulus (Franganillo, 1930, T from Araneus) = Verrucosa arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) (Levi, 1976: 359)

Verrucosa aequiangulus ochraceus (Franganillo, 1930, T from Araneus) = Verrucosa arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) (Levi, 1976: 359)

Verrucosa mexicana (Lucas, 1833) = Verrucosa arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) (Levi, 1976: 358)

Verrucosa verrucosa (Hentz, 1850, T from Acanthepeira) = Verrucosa arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) (McCook, 1888a: 78)

Verrucosa alvarengai Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047468
Verrucosa alvarengai Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 90, f. 379-385 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa apuela Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Ecuador urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047469
Verrucosa apuela Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 91, f. 386-393 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa arenata (Walckenaer, 1841) | | USA to Panama, Greater Antilles urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:017098 TYPE SPECIES
Epeira mexicana Lucas, 1833c: 1, pl. 3 (Df; suppressed as a nomen oblitum by Levi, 1976: 358) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062946]
Epeira arenata Walckenaer, 1841: 133 (Dmf) Original description
Epeira verrucosa Hentz, 1850: 19, pl. 3, f. 2 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:063096]
Acanthepeira verrucosa Marx, 1883: 22
Verucosa arenata McCook, 1888a: 78 (lapsus, S of Acanthepeira verrucosa)
Mahadeva verrucosa Marx, 1890a: 541 (in generic nomen nudum)
Mahadeva verrucosa Keyserling, 1892: 72, pl. 3, f. 56 (mf)
Verrucosa arenata McCook, 1894: 200, pl. 12, f. 6-7 (mf)
Araneus mexicanus Simon, 1895a: 809 (S of Verrucosa undecimvariolata, revalidated by F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904: 483, S confirmed by Levi, 1976: 360)
Epeira verrucosa Emerton, 1902: 181, f. 421-423 (mf)
Verrucosa arenata F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904: 482, pl. 45, f. 23-24 (mf, S of Verrucosa reticulata, revalidated by Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 26)
Araneus arenatus Petrunkevitch, 1911: 279
Araneus aequiangulus Franganillo, 1930: 26, f. 9 (Dmf) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062944]
Araneus aequiangulus ochraceus Franganillo, 1930: 28 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:062945]
Verrucosa arenata Petrunkevitch, 1930a: 329, f. 211-212 (f)
Verrucosa arenata Levi, 1976: 358, f. 1-11 (mf, S of Araneus aequiangulus, A. aequiangulus ochraceus and Verrucosa mexicana)
Verrucosa arenata Coddington, 1990: 14, f. 64 (m)
Verrucosa arenata Scharff & Coddington, 1997: 372, f. 10, 24 (mf)
Verrucosa arenata Levi, 2002: 540, f. 89-90, 257-259 (mf)
Verrucosa arenata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 11, f. 8-38 (mf)
Verrucosa arenata Cabra-García & Hormiga, 2020: 1015, f. 19F, 21A, 26G, 34, 40E-F, 46A, 47B, 51B, 54C, 58A, 60A, 62A, 64A, 72A-F, 102A, 106A-E (mf)
Verrucosa avilesae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Ecuador, Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047466
Verrucosa avilesae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 85, f. 365-371 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa bartica Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Guyana urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047470
Verrucosa bartica Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 93, f. 397-407 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa benavidesae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia, Peru urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047447
Verrucosa benavidesae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 55, f. 229-235 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa brachiscapa Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Ecuador urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047454
Verrucosa brachiscapa Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 65, f. 279-285 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa cachimbo Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047440
Verrucosa cachimbo Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 36, f. 139-157 (Dmf) Original description
Verrucosa cajamarca Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Peru urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047471
Verrucosa cajamarca Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 93, f. 408-418 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa caninde Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047463
Verrucosa caninde Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 81, f. 344-350 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa canje Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Guyana urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047472
Verrucosa canje Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 96, f. 419-429 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa carara Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Costa Rica urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047443
Verrucosa carara Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 48, f. 201-207 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa chanchamayo Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Peru urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047452
Verrucosa chanchamayo Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 63, f. 265-271 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa coroico Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Bolivia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047460
Verrucosa coroico Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 76, f. 321-327 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa cuyabenoensis Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Ecuador, Bolivia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047473
Verrucosa cuyabenoensis Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 96, f. 430-440 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa cuyuni Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Guyana urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047446
Verrucosa cuyuni Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 53, f. 222-228 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa cylicophora (Badcock, 1932) | | Brazil, Paraguay urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047477
Araneus cylicophorus Badcock, 1932: 26, f. 18 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa cylicophora Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 17, f. 39-45 (f, removed from S of Verrucosa meridionalis, rejecting Mello-Leitão, 1946b: 41)
Verrucosa excavata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047449
Verrucosa excavata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 58, f. 243-249 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa florezi Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047461
Verrucosa florezi Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 78, f. 328-336 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa galianoae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047458
Verrucosa galianoae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 73, f. 307-313 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa guatopo Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Venezuela urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047445
Verrucosa guatopo Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 51, f. 215-221 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa hoferi Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047462
Verrucosa hoferi Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 80, f. 337-343 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa lampra (Soares & Camargo, 1948) | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:017101
Epeiroides lamprus Soares & Camargo, 1948a: 370, f. 23-24 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa lampra Levi, 1989: 77 (T from Epeiroides)
Verrucosa lampra Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 18, f. 46-52, 85 (f)
Verrucosa lata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047457
Verrucosa lata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 71, f. 300-306 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa latigastra Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Guyana, Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047444
Verrucosa latigastra Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 50, f. 208-214 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa levii Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047451
Verrucosa levii Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 62, f. 257-264 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa macarena Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047455
Verrucosa macarena Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 68, f. 286-292 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa manauara Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047453
Verrucosa manauara Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 65, f. 272-278 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa meridionalis (Keyserling, 1892) | | Brazil, Argentina urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:017102
Mahadeva meridionalis Keyserling, 1892: 74, pl. 3, f. 57 (Df) Original description
Araneus meridionalis Petrunkevitch, 1911: 302
Aranea meridionalis Strand, 1916b: 113
Verrucosa meridionalis Mello-Leitão, 1946b: 41 (S of Araneus cylicophorus, revalidated by Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 17)
Verrucosa meridionalis Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 20, f. 1, 53-84 (f, Dm)
Verrucosa meta Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047450
Verrucosa meta Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 60, f. 250-256 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa opon Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047464
Verrucosa opon Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 83, f. 351-357 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa pedrera Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047456
Verrucosa pedrera Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 70, f. 293-299 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa rancho Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Venezuela urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047448
Verrucosa rancho Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 57, f. 236-242 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa reticulata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889) | | Panama, Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047478
Mahadiva reticulata O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889d: 54, pl. 3, f. 10 (Dm, lapsus, in generic nomen nudum) Original description
Mahadeva reticulata Keyserling, 1892: 71, pl. 3, f. 55 (m)
Verrucosa reticulata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 26, f. 86-93 (m, removed from S of Verrucosa arenata, rejecting F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904: 482)
Verrucosa rhea Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047476
Verrucosa rhea Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 102, f. 463-474 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa scapofracta Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil, Argentina urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047442
Verrucosa scapofracta Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 42, f. 2, 175-200 (Dmf) Original description
Verrucosa septemmammata Caporiacco, 1954 | | French Guiana urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:017103
Verrucosa septemmammata Caporiacco, 1954: 100, f. 22 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa septemmammata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 104 (misplaced)
Verrucosa sergipana Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047474
Verrucosa sergipana Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 99, f. 441-451 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa silvae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia, Peru urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047465
Verrucosa silvae Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 85, f. 358-364 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa simla Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Trinidad urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047475
Verrucosa simla Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 99, f. 452-462 (Dm) Original description
Verrucosa suaita Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047459
Verrucosa suaita Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 75, f. 314-320 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa tarapoa Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047441
Verrucosa tarapoa Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 39, f. 158-174 (Dmf) [and Erratum: p. 600] Original description
Verrucosa tuberculata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015 | | Costa Rica, Colombia urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:047467
Verrucosa tuberculata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 88, f. 372-378 (Df) Original description
Verrucosa undecimvariolata (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889) | | Mexico to Argentina urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:042112
Mahadiva undecim-variolata O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1889d: 53, pl. 3, f. 8-9 (Dmf, lapsus, in generic nomen nudum) Original description
Mahadeva undecimvariolata Keyserling, 1892: 69, pl. 3, f. 54 (mf)
Verrucosa undecim-variolata F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1904: 483, pl. 45, f. 25-26 (mf, removed from S of Verrucosa arenata, rejecting Simon, 1895a: 809, sub Araneus mexicanus)
Verrucosa undecimvariolata Levi, 1976: 360 (removing from S of Verrucosa arenata confirmed)
Verrucosa undecimvariolata Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 28, f. 94-120 (mf)
Verrucosa undecimvariolata Almaraz-López et al., 2025: 137, f. 4c-d, k-l (m)
Verrucosa zebra (Keyserling, 1892) | | Brazil, Argentina urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:017104
Mahadeva zebra Keyserling, 1892: 68, pl. 3, f. 53 (Df) Original description
Araneus zebra Simon, 1895a: 810, f. 864-865 (Dm)
Verrucosa zebra Levi, 1991a: 180 (T from Araneus)
Verrucosa zebra Lise, Kesster & Silva, 2015: 33, f. 121-138 (mf)

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