United States
£ GBP
Spiders are among the most diverse groups of terrestrial invertebrates, yet they are among the least studied and poorly understood groups. This beautifully illustrated volume is the first comprehensive guide to all 68 families of spiders in North America and illustrates 469 of the most commonly encountered species. Species descriptions include identification tips, typical habitat, geographic distribution, and behavioral notes. A concise illustrated introduction to spider biology and anatomy provides the key for understanding spider relationships. This book is a critical resource for curious naturalists who want to understand this ubiquitous and ecologically critical component of our biosphere.
Preface and acknowledgments
Finding, studying, and identifying spiders
Spiders: an introduction
Finding and studying spiders
Identifying spiders
Keys to families within groups
Under debris group
space-filling web group
Sheet weavers group
Orb-shaped web group
Funnel-shaped web group
Six-eyed spiders group
Jumping spiders group
Crablike spiders group
Ssurface hunters group
Gground hunters group
Ffoliage hunters group
Mygalomorph group
Tiny spiders group
Color plates section between pages 60 and 61
Spider accounts
Family Agelenidae • funnel weavers
Family Amaurobiidae • hackledmesh weavers
Family Amphinectidae • amphinectids
Family Anapidae • ground orbweavers
Family Antrodiaetidae • foldingdoor trapdoor spiders
Family Anyphaenidae • ghost spiders
Family Araneidae • orbweavers
Family Atypidae • purseweb spiders
Family Caponiidae • bright lungless spiders
Family Clubionidae • sac spiders
Family Ccorinnidae • antmimic spiders
Family Ctenidae • wandering spiders
Family Ctenizidae • trapdoor spiders
Family Cybaeidae • soft spiders
Family Cyrtaucheniidae (now euctenizidae) • waferlid trapdoor spiders
Family Deinopidae • ogrefaced spiders
Family Desidae • desids
Family Dictynidae • meshweavers
Family Diguetidae • desertshrub spiders
Family Dipluridae • funnelweb spiders
Family Dysderidae • woodlouse spiders
Family Filistatidae • crevice weavers
Family Gnaphosidae • stealthy ground spiders
Family Hahniidae • combtailed spiders
Family Hersiliidae • longspinneret spiders
Family Homalonychidae • dusty desert spiders
Family Hypochilidae • lampshade weavers
Family Leptonetidae • midget cave spiders
Family Linyphiidae • sheetweb weavers
Family Liocranidae • spinylegged sac spiders
Family Lycosidae • wolf spiders
Family Mecicobothriidae • midget funnelweb tarantulas
Family Mimetidae • pirate spiders
Family Miturgidae • prowling spiders
Family Mysmenidae • dwarf cobweb weavers
Family Nemesiidae • wishbone spiders
Family Nesticidae • cave cobweb spiders
Family Ochyroceratidae • midget ground weavers
Family Oecobiidae • flatmesh weavers
Family Oonopidae • goblin spiders
Family Oxyopidae • lynx spiders
Family Philodromidae • running crab spiders
Family Pholcidae • cellar spiders
Family Pimoidae • large hammockweb spiders
Family Pisauridae • nursery web spiders
Family Plectreuridae • spurlipped spiders
Family Prodidomidae • prodidomids
Family Salticidae • jumping spiders
Family Scytodidae • spitting spiders
Family Segestriidae • tubeweb spiders
Family Selenopidae • flatties
Family Sicariidae • sixeyed brown spiders
Family Sparassidae • huntsman spiders
Family Symphytognathidae • dwarf orbweavers
Family Telemidae • longlegged cave spiders
Family Tengellidae • tengellids
Family Tetragnathidae • longjawed orbweavers
Family Theraphosidae • tarantulas
Family Theridiidae • cobweb weavers
Family Theridiosomatidae • ray orbweavers
Family Thomisidae • crab spiders
Family Titanoecidae • rock weavers
Family Trechaleidae • longlegged water spiders
Family Uloboridae • hackled orbweavers
Family Zodariidae • zodariids
Family Zoridae • zorids
Family Zorocratidae • zorocratids
Family Zoropsidae • zoropsids
Glossary
References
Index
Richard A. Bradley is Associate Professor in the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology at Ohio State University.
"Bradley's admiration of and attention to these animals is evident [...] The result is not only a remarkable compendium of information about conspicuous spiders in North America, but a gateway to their study and appreciation."
– American Entomologist
"A concise illustrated introduction to spider biology and anatomy explains spider relationships, this book is a critical resource for curious naturalists who want to understand this ubiquitous and ecologically critical component of our biosphere."
– BioOne
"This is a fabulous book, worthy of a place on the bookshelves of any arachnological library."
– British Arachnological Society Newsletter
"Every few years a field guide emerges with artwork so stunning the book is worth owning regardless of whether you plan to identify anything with it. Richard Bradley's Common Spiders of North America is just such a book. Buy it. You won't regret it [...] an instant classic. Highly recommended."
– Alex Wild, Myrmecos
"People with an interest in North American spiders should enjoy this book."
– Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report / The Guardian
"This is a fabulous book, worthy of a place on the bookshelves of any arachnological library."
– David Penney, British Arachnological Society Newsletter
"A critical resource for curious naturalists."
– Northeastern
"High quality. [...] We only wish we had had access to this book when we were first learning the sometimes difficult art of spider identification.[...] Bradley's admiration of and attention to these animals is evident [...] The result is not only a remarkable compendium of information about conspicuous spiders in North America, but a gateway to their study and appreciation."
– Paula E. Cushing, American Entomologist
"Common Spiders of North America is an exceptionally well constructed and illustrated guide that fills a large gap in America's natural history guides. It will stimulate scientific research and public interest in one of the most diverse and abundant of all animal groups."
– Edward O. Wilson, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University
"Bradley provides a very well written introduction to the biology, natural history, collection, and identification of spiders and provides stunningly beautiful illustrations of nearly 500 common species found in North America. This book is designed to be used by all arachnophiles (and brave arachnophobes) from young to old and from backyard naturalist to scientist. No other field guide on this subject provides such detailed information and illustrations about so many species. It is a must-have for anyone interested in nature and the animals with whom we share this planet."
– Paula E. Cushing, co-author of Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual
