What is the common name for the only extant Ricinoididae species in the United States?

What is the common name for the only extant Ricinoididae species in the United States?

• A. The hooded tickspiders
• B. The golden orb-weavers
• C. The black widows
• D. The jumping spiders

Answer: (A)

Understanding how spider families are named and where they live helps explain why the hooded tickspider is the correct choice. The Ricinoididae are a very small, early-branching spider family, and in the United States there is only one living species from this group. Its common name—hooded tickspider—reflects two ideas: its compact, somewhat hooded-looking body shape and its resemblance to ticks in size and stance. This makes it the sole representative of Ricinoididae in the country. The other names point to spiders from entirely different families with different appearances and habits. Golden orb-weavers are large, colorful Araneidae spiders famous for their shimmering golden silk and big circular webs. Black widows belong to the Theridiidae and are known for the distinctive red hourglass marking and potent venom. Jumping spiders are from the Salticidae and are recognized for their stout bodies and excellent forward-facing eyes used for precise jumping and binocular vision. Because those groups are not Ricinoididae, they don’t apply to the sole US species in that family.

Understanding how spider families are named and where they live helps explain why the hooded tickspider is the correct choice. The Ricinoididae are a very small, early-branching spider family, and in the United States there is only one living species from this group. Its common name—hooded tickspider—reflects two ideas: its compact, somewhat hooded-looking body shape and its resemblance to ticks in size and stance. This makes it the sole representative of Ricinoididae in the country.

The other names point to spiders from entirely different families with different appearances and habits. Golden orb-weavers are large, colorful Araneidae spiders famous for their shimmering golden silk and big circular webs. Black widows belong to the Theridiidae and are known for the distinctive red hourglass marking and potent venom. Jumping spiders are from the Salticidae and are recognized for their stout bodies and excellent forward-facing eyes used for precise jumping and binocular vision. Because those groups are not Ricinoididae, they don’t apply to the sole US species in that family.