Viewing Families in the Order "Araneae" (Spiders)

The Araneae family, better known as spiders, is a distinct group of arachnids that come in a multitude of sizes, colors and shapes. The best way to distinguish them from other arachnids is by identifying these common features: four pairs of legs, two separate body sections, spinnerets on their rear, and fangs. The males do not become sexually active until after their final molt, when they will stop eating to hunt for a mate. After mating, they either die or become dinner for the female. The female then lays anywhere from a couple to several hundred eggs in a sac and guards them until they hatch. It is not uncommon for spiders to resort to cannibalism when overcrowding occurs.

Araneae 1