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Corinnoid Spiders - Superfamily: Corinnoidea
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Nearly 2,000 species spread over 152 genera in 4 families make up the superfamily: Corinnoidea. In Australia spiders from two of the four families can be found with those belonging to the Family: Corinnidae being the most widespread. The Corinnoid Spiders first described, as a subfamily, by Eugene L. Simon* in his tome: "Histoire Naturelle des Araignees (Araneides)', 2nd Ed., Part 2., (pp. 177-178) published in 1897.
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Corinnoid Spiders are medium-sized spiders, mostly of a rather stout build and often with striking patterns or dots on the both abdomen and cephalothorax. They can be found world-wide in tropical to temperate climates. Web-building is not common amongst Corinnoid Spiders as many are fast and agile hunting spiders preferring to chase and catch their prey.
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As with most other spider groups the Superfamily: Corinnoidea has undergone numerous and substantial re-shuffling of its' taxonomic order. The current arrangement accepted is, broadly speaking, fairly well settled now with perhaps, only some minor details yet to be ironed out.
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* 'Histoire Naturelles des Araignees (Araneides)', 2nd Ed. by Eugene L. Simon is a two part encyclopedic work listing, describing and illustrating all known spider genera at the time. It is said to have taken Simon 11 years to complete - while doing other work as well! - and is available still in printed form as well e-books and downloadable PDF files from various sources. Written in French and Latin it is well worth looking at for the 2,000 or so illustrations by Simon himself. The 2-part, 2nd edition was a follow up to the 1864 first edition published when Simon was only 16 years of age. Simon was a prolific spider taxonomist, describing well over 4,500 species, with most names still in use today.
References and links:
> Platnick, N.I. and Raven, R.J., (2013). 'Spider systematics: past and future.' Zootaxa 3683 (2013): 595-600. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3683.5.8
> Simon, Eugene L., (1897). 'Histoire Naturelles des Aragnees (Araneides) 2nd Edition, Part 2., (pp 177-178). Roret, Paris.
https://wsc.nmbe.ch/
> Platnick, N.I. and Raven, R.J., (2013). 'Spider systematics: past and future.' Zootaxa 3683 (2013): 595-600. DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3683.5.8
> Simon, Eugene L., (1897). 'Histoire Naturelles des Aragnees (Araneides) 2nd Edition, Part 2., (pp 177-178). Roret, Paris.
https://wsc.nmbe.ch/
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