Cobweb Spiders vs Comb-footed spider

Parasteatoda tepidariorum compared with Parasteatoda tabulata

Key Differences

• Cobweb Spiders is Least Concern while Comb-footed spider is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cobweb Spiders	Comb-footed spider
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)	Arthropoda (สัตว์ขาปล้อง)
Class same	Arachnida (แมง)	Arachnida (แมง)
Order same	Araneae (แมงมุม)	Araneae (แมงมุม)
Family same	Theridiidae	Theridiidae
Genus same	Parasteatoda	Parasteatoda
Species	Parasteatoda tepidariorum	Parasteatoda tabulata

Evolutionary Relationship

Cobweb Spiders and Comb-footed spider share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Parasteatoda.

Conservation Status

Cobweb Spiders

LC — Least Concern

Comb-footed spider

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cobweb Spiders	Comb-footed spider
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cobweb Spiders

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (South Africa), Asia (Taiwan), Europe (7 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and South America (Colombia).

Comb-footed spider

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Germany, Sweden, and United States.

Cobweb Spiders

The common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum) is one of the most cosmopolitan of all spider species, having followed human civilization to virtually every inhabited corner of the globe. A member of the family Theridiidae, this small to medium-sized spider—females reaching 5–8 millimeters, males somewhat smaller—constructs the characteristic messy, three-dimensional cobwebs in sheltered corners of buildings, under eaves, in cellars, and in other human-modified structures worldwide. Originally native to North and South America, the species has spread through commerce and human transport to Europe, Asia, Africa, and beyond, where it thrives in the stable temperature and prey-rich conditions provided by human habitation. The web design is deceptively effective: irregular sticky threads radiate in all directions from a silk retreat, ensnaring flies, mosquitoes, ants, and other arthropods that blunder into the structure. Females are long-lived—surviving several years—and produce multiple egg sacs containing hundreds of eggs during a lifetime, contributing to the species' population resilience. Parasteatoda tepidariorum has become an important laboratory model organism for arachnid developmental biology, with its genome sequenced to facilitate studies of spider gene expression, venom evolution, and silk production. It is broadly classified as Least Concern given its cosmopolitan distribution and remarkable adaptation to anthropogenic environments.

Comb-footed spider

<em>Parasteatoda tabulata</em> is an arachnid in the family Theridiidae, commonly grouped with comb-footed spiders. It has been recorded from Europe and the United States, indicating a broad distribution across temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Like other members of the family Theridiidae, <em>P. tabulata</em> constructs irregular, tangled cobwebs in sheltered locations such as corners of buildings, under eaves, rock crevices, and dense vegetation. The species uses its characteristically comb-like hind tarsal setae to manipulate silk and wrap prey. It is a generalist predator of small insects and other arthropods that become ensnared in its web. Members of this family are small spiders, generally spending their adult lives in close association with their webs. The species has not been formally assessed by the IUCN, and specific quantitative biological trait data are not available in the current record.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇩🇰 Denmark 🇩🇪 Germany 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States