theridiidæ

pl. [Mod. Lat. the rid i ( on ); Lat. fem. pl. adj. suff.- ida.] Zool.: A very extensive family of Dipneumonese. Small or moderate-sized spiders, with the abdomen generally large, as compared with the cephalothorax, and broadly ovate. Fore legs usually the longest; eyes in two transverse rows. These spiders are found among foliage, and sometimes construct irregular webs. The species are most numerous in temperate climates, and the greater number belong to the Eastern hemisphere.