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Glite Dictionary
Theridiidae

Theridiidae

1 9.9
A group of spiders with a comb of small bristles on their rear legs
  • noun
  • /θɛrɪˈdɪːəˌdeɪ/
  • Specialized
: Theridiidae
  • Many Theridiidae construct irregular, tangled webs to catch their prey.

Examples

  • Scientists discovered a new genus within the Theridiidae in South America.

  • The Theridiidae family includes many interesting species.

  • The Theridiidae family includes well-known species such as the black widow spider.

  • Did you know that Theridiidae are also called comb-footed spiders?

  • The Theridiidae, or comb-footed spiders, are easily recognized by the unique comb of bristles on their fourth pair of legs.

  • Many species in the family Theridiidae, such as the common house spider, help control pest populations in homes.

  • Researchers observed that spiders from the family Theridiidae often build irregular webs to capture their prey.

Synonyms

family Theridiidae
vsTheridiidae
  • Specialized
9.1

A group of spiders that includes house spiders and black widows

describes the group by serrated comb bristles on the fourth pair of legs

Compounds

family Theridiidae
  • Specialized
9.1

A group of spiders that includes house spiders and black widows

Surface Forms

Theridiidae singular
Theridiidaes plural

Morphology

Theridiidae = Theridion (opaque) = Theridi + idae

Formed with the technical taxonomic suffix '-idae' attached to a genus stem; this scientific formation is not transparent to general learners.

Etymology

Theridiidae comes from the genus name Theridion, which itself comes from a Greek word meaning 'little wild animal'. The ending -idae is the usual biological ending that marks a 'family' of animals, so the name shows this group is a family of small spiders.