Theridiidae is a large family of spiders, also known as the
tangle-web spiders,
cobweb spiders and
comb-footed spiders, and
the poisonous spider family. The diverse family includes over 2200
species in over 100
genera of
three-dimensional space-web-builders found throughout the world. Theridiid
spiders are
entelegyne (have a genital plate in the female)
araneomorph ecribellate (use sticky capture silk instead of woolly silk) spiders that often build tangle space
webs and have a comb of serrated
bristles (
setae) on the
tarsus of the fourth leg.