2007-07-19 19:55:23 · 7 answers · asked by Jon 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
About 34,000 species of spiders are known to science, belonging to about 105 families. About 10% of these species are known from America north of Mexico (3,500 species; Roth, 1993; Schaefer and Kosztarab 1991). Many spider species are not yet known to science, though, particularly in the tropics. Some arachnologists estimate that only 20% of spider species have been described, meaning that there may be as many as 170,000 spider species sharing our planet with us (Coddington and Levi, 1991).
Some of the most diverse spider families include the familiar hairy, big-eyed "jumping spiders" (Family Salticidae, 4,400 species worldwide); the small "sheet-web spiders" (Linyphiidae, 3,700 species); the "orb weaving spiders" (Araneidae, 2,600 species); the "cobweb spiders" (Theridiidae, 2,200 species); the non-web weaving "wolf spiders" (Lycosidae, 2,200 species); and the "crab spiders" (Thomisidae, 2,000 species; Coddington and Levi, 1991).
2007-07-19 21:55:42 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No clue. You must mean how many species are known, as there are surely some spider species yet to be identified. Add to this the fact that biologists often dispute the niceties of species classification and you have a tough question. Best to look around on the internet to get an estimate.
2007-07-20 03:00:51 · answer #2 · answered by Justin D 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are around 37000 known spider species worldwide. As the person above stated though it is impossible to know for sure as there are probably a lot that haven't been discovered.
2007-07-20 03:06:14 · answer #3 · answered by draconum321 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Spiders are included in the group Arachnids. There are between 37,000 and 43,000 in this group.(scorpions etc)
Spiders make up around 30,000 but its impossible to even estimate the "real" number as they are being discovered all the time. Estimates say that the number could grow at least 4 fold if all were identified...
In other words bloody LOTS...LOL
2007-07-20 03:20:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Even if I thought I knew how many species were know to man, there would be more found in hidden places somewhere in the world. It's a spiral of expansion.
2007-07-20 03:15:53 · answer #5 · answered by Frankie S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nobody really knows for SURE yet... -There's a LOT, & they're still counting them. Needless to say, the World is CRAWLING with Spiders- & we're all caught in THEIR "World Wide Web!" :)
2007-07-20 03:06:56 · answer #6 · answered by Joseph, II 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Toooooooooooo many they are horrible........
2007-07-20 02:58:47 · answer #7 · answered by Margaret 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋