There are approximately 1,107 species of arachnid native to Ireland.Ferriss, S. E., Smith, K. G. and Inskipp, T. P.(editors), 2009 Irish Biodiversity: a taxonomic inventory of fauna. Online here: This page lists them, but is not up to date for all taxa.
Arachnids are eight-legged chelicerate arthropods with pedipalps and bodies divided into two tagmata.
The most best known and familiar group in Ireland is the spiders, and there are also several species of harvestman (daddy-long-legs), ticks, mites and pseudoscorpions. Arachnid groups absent from Ireland include true scorpions, whip scorpions, solifuges, cave spiders, microwhip scorpions, hooded tick spiders and tarantulas.
Subclass Dromopoda
Order Opiliones (harvestmen / daddy-long-legs) 15 native species and three species which are not considered to be native: Odiella spinosus, Opilio parietinus (Phalangiidae) and Dicranopalpus ramosus (Leiobunidae)
Family Nemastomatidae
Mitostoma chrysomelas Nemastoma lugubre bimaculatum
Family Phalangiidae
Dicranopalpus ramosus Lacinius ephippiatus Megabunus diadema Mitopus morio Oligolophus hanseni Oligolophus tridens Opilio parietinus Opilio saxatilis Paroligolophus agrestis Phalangium opilio Rilaena triangularis (Paraplatybunus triangularis)
Family Sclerosomatidae
Leiobunum blackwalli Leiobunum rotundum Nelima gothica
Family Trogulidae
Anelasmocephalus cambridgei
Order Pseudoscorpionida (false scorpions) 17 species
Family Cheiridiidae
Cheiridium museorum
Family Cheliferidae
House pseudoscorpion (Chelifer cancroides)
Family Chernetidae
Allochernes powelli Dinocheirus panzeri Lamprochernes nodosus Lamprochernes savignyi Pselaphochernes dubius Pselaphochernes scorpioides
Family Chthonidae Kewochthonius halberti
Family Chthoniidae
Chthonius ischnochele Chthonius orthodactylus Chthonius tetrachelatus
Family Neobisiidae Neobisium carcinoides Neobisium carpenteri Neobisium maritimum Roncocreagris cambridgei Roncus lubricus
Subclass Acari (ticks and mites) At least 684 species
Order Ixodida (ticks)
Family Ixodidae 10 species Dermacentor reticulatus Castor bean tick (Ixodes ricinus)
Family Argasidae (soft ticks) 2 species
Order Prostigmata (sucking true mites) 249 species
Family Alycidae 4 species
Family Arrenuridae 5 species
Family Bdellidae 5 species
Family Ereynetidae 1 species
Family Eriophyidae (gall mites) 52 species O'Connor, J.P., O'Connor, M.A., Ashe, P. & Wistow, S. 1999 A review of the Irish gall-mites (Acari: Eriophydae). Irish Naturalists' Journal 26: 241-248
Aceria cephalonea Sycamore felt gall mite (Aceria pseudoplatani) Eriophyes exilis Eriophyes laevis Eriophyes macrorhynchus subsp. aceribus Eriophyes prunispinosae Eriophyes pyri Eriophyes similis Phyllocoptes goniothorax Phyllocoptes malinus Big bud gall mite (Phytoptus avellanae)
Family Erythraeidae 7 species
Family Eupodidae 2 species
Family Eylaidae 3 species
Family Halacaridae (marine mites) 44 species Thalassarachna capuzina
Family Hydrodromidae 1 species Yellow foot mite (Hydrodroma despiciens)
Hydrachnidiae 2 species Gledhill, T. & Viets K.O. (1976) A synonymic and bibliographic check-list of the freshwater mites (Hydrachnellae and Limnohalacaridae, Acari) recorded from Great Britain and Ireland. Freshwater Biological Association of Occasional Publishing, 1, 1–59.
Family Hydryphantidae 2 species
Family Hygrobatidae 6 species
Family Lebertiidae 11 species
Family Limnesiidae 2 species
Family Meyerellidae 3 species
Family Microtrombidiidae 4 species
Family Mideidae 1 species
Family Mideopsidae 1 species
Family Nanorchestidae 2 species
Family Oxidae 1 species
Family Penthaleidae 2 species
Family Phytoptidae 2 species
Family Pionidae 14 species
Family Podothrombiidae 1 species
Family Rhagidiidae 4 species
Family Scutacaridae 1 species
Family Sperchontidae 7 species
Family Stigmaeidae 3 species
Family Tanaupodidae 1 species
Family Tarsonemidae 14 species
Family Tetranychidae 6 species
Family Teutoniidae 1 species
Family Torrenticolidae 9 species
Family Trombiculidae 1 species
Family Tydeidae 15 species
Family Unionicolidae 6 species
Order Sarcoptiformes (Clade)
Suborder Oribatida (moss mites / beetle mites)
173 species have been identified for the Republic of Ireland
Family Achipteriidae 4 species
Family Adelphacaridae 1 species
Family Ameronothridae 7 species
Family Banksinomidae 1 species
Family Belbidae 1 species
Family Brachychthoniidae 19 species
Family Caleremaeidae 1 species
Family Camisiidae 6 species
Family Cepheidae 3 species
Family Cosmochthoniidae 1 species
Family Euphthiracaridae 1species
Family Euzetidae 2 species
Family Hermanniidae 7 species
Family Hypochthoniidae 2 species
Family Liodidae 1 species
Family Malaconothridae 6 species
Family Mycobatidae 4 species
Family Nanhermanniidae 4 species
Family Nothridae 2 species
Family Perlohmanniidae 1 species
Family Phthiracaridae 4 species Phthiracarus affinis
Suborder Brachypylina Family Carabodidae 5 species
Family Ceratozetidae 12 species
Family Chamobatidae 4 species
Family Ctenobelbidae 1 species
Family Cymbaeremaeidae 1 species
Family Damaeidae 3 species Belba corynopus
Family Eremaeidae 1 species
Family Galumnidae 2 species
Family Haplozetidae 1 species
Family Humerobatidae 1 species
Family Hydrozetidae 1 species
Family Liacaridae 4 species
Family Limnozetidae 2 species
Family Metrioppiidae 1 species
Family Micreremidae 1 species
Family Neoliodidae 1 species
Family Oppiidae 16 species
Family Oribatellidae 3 species
Family Oribatulidae 7 species
Family Passalozetidae 1 species
Family Phenopelopidae 8 species
Family Protoribatidae 1 species
Family Protoribatidae 1 species
Family Punctoribatidae 1 species
Family Quadroppiidae 1 species
Family Scheloribatidae 2 species
Family Scutoverticidae 2 species
Family Steganacaridae 2 species
Family Suctobelbidae 6 species
Family Tectocepheidae 1 species
Family Thyrisomidae 2 species
Family Xenillidae 1 species
Suborder Astigmatina
Order Trombidiformes
Family Limnocharidae
Limnochares aquatica
Family Tarsonemidae (thread-footed mites / white mites)
Some species
Family Trombidiidae (red velvet mites) Trombidium holosericeum
Order Araneae (spiders) 390 species belonging to 31 families
Family Agelenidae (funnel-web spiders)
Agelena labyrinthica Cryphoeca silvicola (C.L. Koch, 1834) Eratigena agrestis Giant house spider (Eratigena atrica) Malthonica pagana C.L. Koch, 1841 Tegenaria domestica Tegenaria parietina Tegenaria silvestris Textrix denticulata (Olivier, 1789)
Family Amaurobiidae (tangled nest spiders)
Amaurobius fenestralis (Lace-webbed spider) Amaurobius ferox (black lace-weaver) Amaurobius similis (Lace-webbed spider)
Family Anyphaenidae Anyphaena accentuata (Walckenaer, 1802)
Family Araneidae (typical orb-weavers)
Agalenatea redii Araneus diadematus (European green spider) Araneus quadratus (four-spot orbweaver) Araneus sturmi Araneus triguttatus Araniella cucurbitina (cucumber green spider) Araniella opisthographa (Kulczynski, 1905) Araniella displicata (Hentz, 1847) Atea triguttata (Fabricius, 1775) Cyclosa conica Gibbaranea gibbosa Hypsosinga albovittata Hypsosinga pygmaea Furrow orb spider (Larinioides cornutus) Larinioides patagiatus (Clerck, 1757) Larinioides sclopetarius (Clerck, 1757) Mangora acalypha (Walckenaer, 1802) Walnut orb-weaver spider (Nuctenea umbratica) Zygiella atrica Silver-sided sector spider (Zygiella x-notata)
Family Atypidae (purseweb spiders) Atypus affinis
Family Cheiracanthiidae Cheiracanthium erraticum (Walckenaer, 1802) Cheiracanthium virescens (Sundevall, 1833)
Family Clubionidae (sac spiders) Clubiona brevipes Clubiona comta Clubiona diversa Clubiona juvenis Simon, 1878 Clubiona lutescens Clubiona neglecta Clubiona pallidula Clubiona phragmitis Clubiona reclusa Clubiona stagnatilis Clubiona subtilis Clubiona terrestris Clubiona trivialis
Family Cybaeidae
Diving bell spider (Argyroneta aquatica)
Family Dictynidae
Argenna subnigra (O.P.-Cambridge, 1861) Dictyna arundinacea Dictyna latens Dictyna uncinata Thorell, 1856 Nigma puella
Family Dysderidae (woodlouse hunters)
Woodlouse spider (Dysdera crocata) Dysdera erythrina Harpactea hombergi (Scopoli, 1763)
Family Gnaphosidae (flat-bellied ground spiders)
Drassodes cupreus Drassodes lapidosus (Walckenaer, 1802) Drassyllus lutetianus (L. Koch, 1866) Drassyllus pusillus Haplodrassus signifer Micaria pulicaria Scotophaeus blackwalli Zelotes apricorum (L. Koch, 1876) Zelotes electus (C.L.Koch, 1839) Zelotes latreillei (Simon, 1878)
Family Hahniidae (dwarf sheet spiders)
Antistea elegans Hahnia helveola Simon, 1875 Hahnia montana (Blackwall, 1841) Hahnia nava Hahnia pusilla
Family Linyphiidae (sheet weavers)
Agyneta cauta Agyneta decora (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871) Agyneta conigera Agyneta olivacea Agyneta ramosa Agyneta subtilis Allomengea scopigera (Grube, 1859) Allomengea vidua (L.Koch, 1879) Aphileta misera (O.P.-Cambridge, 1882) Araeoncus crassiceps(Westring, 1861) Araeoncus humilis Asthenargus paganus (Simon, 1884) Baryphyma gowerense (Locket, 1965) Baryphyma trifrons (O.P.-Cambridge, 1863) Bathyphantes approximatus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871) Bathyphantes gracilis Bathyphantes nigrinus (Westring, 1851) Bathyphantes parvulus (Westring, 1851) Bathyphantes setiger F.O.P.-Cambridge, 1894 Bolyphantes alticeps (Sundevall, 1833) Bolyphantes luteolus (Blackwall, 1833) Carorita limnaea (Crosby & Bishop, 1927) Carorita paludosa Duffey, 1971 Centromerita bicolor (Blackwall, 1833) Centromerita concinna (Thorell, 1875) Centromerus arcanus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1873) Centromerus dilutus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1875) Centromerus levitarsis (Simon, 1884) Centromerus prudens (O.P.-Cambridge, 1873) Ceratinella brevipes (Westring, 1851) Ceratinella brevis (Wider, 1834) Ceratinella scabrosa (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871) Centromerus persimilis (O.P.-Cambridge, 1912) Centromerus sylvaticus (Blackwall, 1841) Cnephalocotes obscurus (Blackwall, 1834) Collinsia inerrans (O.P.-Cambridge, 1885) Dicymbium brevisetosum Locket, 1962 Dicymbium nigrum (Blackwall, 1834) Dicymbium tibiale (Blackwall, 1836) Diplocentria bidentata (Emerton, 1882) Diplocephalus cristatus (Blackwall, 1833) Diplocephalus latifrons (O.P.-Cambridge, 1863) Diplocephalus permixtus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871) Diplocephalus picinus (Blackwall, 1841) Diplostyla concolor (Wider, 1834) Dismodicus bifrons (Blackwall, 1841) Donacochara speciosa (Thorell, 1875) Invisible spider (Drapetisca socialis(Sundevall, 1833)) Drepanotylus uncatus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1873) Entelecara errata O.P.-Cambridge, 1913 Entelecara erythropus (Westring, 1851) Entelecara media Kulczynski, 1887 Entelecara omissa (O.P.-Cambridge, 1902) Erigone arctica (White, 1852) Erigone atra Erigone dentipalpis (Wider, 1834) Erigone longipalpis Erigone capra Simon, 1884 Erigone promiscua (O.P.-Cambridge, 1872) Erigone welchi Jackson, 1911 Erigonella hiemalis (Blackwall, 1841) Erigonella ignobilis (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871) Evansia merens O.P.-Cambridge, 1900 Floronia bucculenta Glyphesis cottonae (La Touche, 1945) Gnathonarium dentatum (Wider, 1834) Gonatium rubellum (Blackwall, 1841) Gonatium rubens Gongylidiellum latebricola (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871) Gongylidiellum murcidum Simon, 1884 Gongylidiellum vivum (O.P.-Cambridge, 1875) Gongylidium rufipes (Linnaeus, 1758) Halorates reprobus (O.P.-Cambridge, 1879) Helophora insignis (Blackwall, 1841) Hilaira excisa (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871) Hilaira frigida (Thorell, 1872) Hilaira pervicax Hull, 1908 Hylyphantes graminicola Hypselistes jacksoni (O.P.-Cambridge, 1902) Hypomma bituberculatum (Wider, 1834) Hypomma cornutum (Blackwall, 1833) Hypomma fulvum Büsenberg, 1902 Jacksonella falconeri (Jackson, 1908) Kaestneria dorsalis (Wider, 1834) Kaestneria pullata (O.P.-Cambridge, 1863) Labulla thoracica (Wider, 1834) Lepthyphantes alacris (Blackwall, 1853) = Tenuiphantes