spider: References & Edit History
More Articles On This Topic
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- How Many Eyes Does a Spider Have?
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Additional Reading
General works
Books
Herbert W. Levi and Lorna R. Levi, Spiders and Their Kin, rev. and updated (2002), contains natural history information and color illustrations of spider families and also discusses the collection and raising of spiders. Rod Preston-Mafham and Ken Preston-Mafham, Spiders of the World (1984, reissued 2003), dedicates chapters to topics such as prey capture, classification, and defense mechanisms, among others. Lorus Milne and Margery Milne, National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders (1980, reissued 2000), provides photographs and text that allow identification of the continentās spider species. Paul Hillyard, The Book of the Spider: From Arachnophobia to the Love of Spiders (1994), is a remarkable collection of facts, anecdotes, and legends assembled by a spider specialist at the Natural History Museum in London.
Video documentaries
Scientific American Frontiers: Spiders! (1997, reissued 2000), directed by Graham Chedd, John Angier, and David Huntley, investigates spiders, their webs, and manās relationship with these arachnids. ABC/Kane Productions, Web of Steel (1990), analyzes spider silk, using architectural comparisons, while also examining other arachnological topics.
Advanced works
Rainer F. Foelix, Biology of Spiders, 2nd ed. (1996; originally published in German, 1979), is an introduction to spider morphology and physiology. Friedrich G. Barth, A Spiderās World: Senses and Behavior, trans. by Ann Biederman-Thorson (2002; originally published in German, 2001), uses more than 300 figures to explain the interactions between spiders and their environment. William A. Shear (ed.), SpidersāWebs, Behavior, and Evolution (1986), is a collection of specialistsā reports on the results of their research. Wolfgang Nentwig (ed.), Ecophysiology of Spiders (1987), summarizes research by more than 30 specialists.
Article Contributors
Primary Contributors
-
Joseph Culin
Professor of Entomology, Clemson University, South Carolina.
- Lorna R. Levi
- Herbert W. Levi
-
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors
Article History
| Type | Description | Contributor | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Added information about the importance of spiders as prey. Expanded the description of their distribution and added Top Questions. | Oct 15, 2026 | ||
| Modified link of Web site: University of Minnesota Extension - Spider. | Aug 29, 2026 | ||
| Add new Web site: The Royal Society Publishing - Proceedings B - Almost a spider: a 305-million-year-old fossil arachnid and spider origins. | Jul 02, 2026 | ||
| Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - Spider taxonomy: A historical and global perspective. | Mar 27, 2026 | ||
| Revised the discussion of hunting spiders and web-building spiders. Added media throughout. | Sep 25, 2025 | ||
| Revised taxonomy and modernized language throughout. | Jul 01, 2025 | ||
| Add new Web site: Cell Press - Current Biology - The global spread of misinformation on spiders. | Nov 18, 2024 | ||
| Add new Web site: University of Wisconsin-Madison - Wisconsin Horticulture Division of Extension - Garden Spiders. | Aug 01, 2024 | ||
| Media added. | May 29, 2024 | ||
| Add new Web site: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Spiders. | Apr 19, 2024 | ||
| Add new Web site: Better Health Channel - Spiders. | Mar 05, 2024 | ||
| Add new Web site: Burke Museum - Spider Myths. | Dec 05, 2023 | ||
| Add new Web site: University of Missouri Extension - Spiders. | Aug 18, 2023 | ||
| Add new Web site: University of Minnesota Extension - Spider. | Jun 23, 2023 | ||
| Add new Web site: AZ Animals - Spider. | Mar 31, 2023 | ||
| Add new Web site: Live Science - Types of Spiders & Spider Facts. | May 16, 2022 | ||
| Add new Web site: Live Science - Types of Spiders & Spider Facts. | May 16, 2022 | ||
| Add new Web site: National Geographic Kids - Spider facts primary resource. | May 16, 2022 | ||
| Removed media. | Sep 22, 2021 | ||
| New media added. | Jun 01, 2020 | ||
| Deleted video. | Dec 18, 2019 | ||
| Added an illustration of a brown widow spider. | Aug 15, 2017 | ||
| Added an illustration of a red widow spider. | Jun 14, 2017 | ||
| Classification section updated. | Jun 14, 2017 | ||
| Media added. | May 23, 2017 | ||
| Corrected display issue. | May 23, 2017 | ||
| Add new Web site: Australian Museum - What is a spider? | Sep 07, 2016 | ||
| Add new Web site: IndiaNetzone - Spider. | Sep 04, 2016 | ||
| Add new Web site: Backyard Nature - Spider. | Sep 02, 2016 | ||
| Media added. | May 13, 2016 | ||
| Add new Web site: Right Plants 4 Me - Spiders. | Dec 23, 2014 | ||
| Add new Web site: Right Plants 4 Me - Spiders. | Dec 23, 2014 | ||
| Media added. | Jun 10, 2014 | ||
| Media added. | Jun 06, 2014 | ||
| Added an illustration of a spider. | Feb 21, 2014 | ||
| Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Spider. | May 21, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: Australian Museum - Australian Tarantulas. | Apr 29, 2013 | ||
| Added information about spider predation on flying vertebrates. | Mar 22, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Spider. | Feb 19, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: Smithsonian National Zoological Park - Spider. | Feb 19, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: KidsFront - Spider. | Feb 19, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: Kidipede Science for Kids - Spider. | Feb 19, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: National First Ladies' Library - First Lady Biography: Eleanor Roosevelt. | Feb 19, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: San Diego Zoo Animals and Plants - Spider. | Feb 19, 2013 | ||
| Add new Web site: Iloveindia.com - Spider. | Feb 19, 2013 | ||
| Updated species count, added mention of the pinkfoot goliath, and clarified information on the venom of tarantulas. | Jan 02, 2013 | ||
| Text updating species count from 38,000 to 42,700 added. | Apr 25, 2012 | ||
| Add new Web site: Science Kids - Fun Science and Technology for Kids! - Fun Spider Facts for Kids. | Mar 16, 2012 | ||
| Added information on the reproductive strategy of male Nephilengys malabarensis spiders. | Feb 02, 2012 | ||
| Add new Web site: Earth-Life Web Productions - The Anatomy of Spiders. | Oct 20, 2011 | ||
| Added a photo of Cerbalus aravensis, a spider discovered in the Sands of Samar region of Israel in 2010. | Aug 10, 2010 | ||
| Added information about sexual size dimorphism in female and male orb weavers. | Aug 10, 2010 | ||
| Added new Web site: Animal Planet - Spider. | Apr 14, 2009 | ||
| Updated scientific name for goliath bird-eating spider. | Mar 03, 2009 | ||
| Added new Web site: Pocantico Hills Central School - Spiders. | Feb 10, 2009 | ||
| Added new Web site: BugGuide - Barn Funnel Weaver. | Feb 10, 2009 | ||
| Added new Web site: Pegasos - Biography of Anaļæ½s Nin. | Aug 07, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: Official Site of Buddy Guy. | Jun 18, 2008 | ||
| Media added. | Jun 10, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: Christian Classics Ethereal Library - Biography of Soren Kierkegaard. | May 21, 2008 | ||
| Media added. | May 05, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: Animal Corner - Spider. | Feb 07, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: 64 Parishes - Buddy Guy. | Jan 16, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: Naxos Classical Music - Biography of David Diamond. | Jan 16, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - Buddy Guy. | Jan 16, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: British Broadcasting Corporation - Spiders found in Northern Ireland. | Jan 07, 2008 | ||
| Added new Web site: Bach Cantatas Website - Biography of David Diamond. | Dec 11, 2007 | ||
| Added new Web site: AllMusic - David Diamond. | Dec 11, 2007 | ||
| Added new Web site: BugGuide - Order Araneae - Spiders. | Jun 02, 2006 | ||
| Added new Web site: BugGuide - Order Araneae - Spiders. | Jun 02, 2006 | ||
| Article revised. | Jul 08, 2005 | ||
| Article added to new online database. | Aug 23, 1998 |