Cheiracanthium, commonly called yellow sac spiders, is a genus of araneomorph spiders in the family Cheiracanthiidae, and was first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1839.

Distribution Cheiracanthium is primarily an Old World genus, with many species found from northern Europe to Japan, from Southern Africa to India and Australia. The only known species in the New World are C. inclusum and C. mildei. While the former also occurs in Africa and Réunion, the latter is found in the Holarctic region and Argentina. They can also be found in the lower mainland of British Columbia, Canada.

The genus is quite diverse in Africa and at least three or four species are known to occur in Egyptian cotton fields alone.

Description

They are usually pale in colour, and have an abdomen that can range from yellow to beige. Both sexes range in size from .

They are unique among common house spiders because their tarsi do not point either outward, like members of Tegenaria, or inward, like members of Araneus, making them easier to identify.

Misconceptions A theory that these spiders were attracted to the smell of gasoline was involved in a series of consumer vehicle callbacks in which spiderwebs had blocked fuel lines, but it has since been disproven by a study which found that the juvenile yellow sac spiders were attracted to the hose material itself.

Venom Though they are beneficial predators in agricultural fields, they are also known to be mildly venomous to humans. Painful bites may be incurred from species such as C. punctorium in Europe, C. mildei in Europe and North America, C. inclusum in the Americas, C. lawrencei in South Africa and C. japonicum in Japan. Cheiracanthium venom is purportedly necrotic, and can cause pain, swelling, and lesions in humans, but the necrotic nature and severity of its bite has been disputed. A study of twenty confirmed Cheiracanthium bites in the United States and Australia found that none resulted in necrosis, and a review of the international literature on 39 verified Cheiracanthium bites found only one case of mild necrosis in the European species C. punctorium.

Species

, the World Spider Catalog accepts 231 species, found in the Caribbean, South America, Oceania, Europe, Central America, Africa, Asia, North America, and on Saint Helena:

These are species with articles on Wikipedia:

Cheiracanthium abbreviatum Simon, 1878 – France, Denmark Cheiracanthium aculeatum Simon, 1884 – Ivory Coast, Sudan, Somalia, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa Cheiracanthium africanum Lessert, 1921 – Africa, Madagascar, Réunion Cheiracanthium angolense Lotz, 2007 – Angola, Zimbabwe, South Africa Cheiracanthium angulitarse Simon, 1878 – Spain, France (Corsica), Italy, Malta, Hungary, Romania Cheiracanthium annulipes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872 – Canary Islands, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel Cheiracanthium antungense Chen & Huang, 2012 – Taiwan Cheiracanthium campestre Lohmander, 1944 – Sweden, Denmark, Central Europe, Italy, Romania, Ukraine, Russia (Europe) Cheiracanthium dippenaarae Lotz, 2007 – South Africa Cheiracanthium effossum Herman, 1879 – Central to eastern Europe Cheiracanthium elegans Thorell, 1875 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Kazakhstan, Iran, Central Asia Cheiracanthium erraticum (Walckenaer, 1802) – Azores, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Iran, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan Cheiracanthium eutittha Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 – Taiwan, Japan, Korea? Cheiracanthium falcatum Chen, Huang, Chen & Wang, 2006 – Taiwan Cheiracanthium filiapophysium Chen & Huang, 2012 – Taiwan Cheiracanthium foordi Lotz, 2015 – South Africa Cheiracanthium fulvotestaceum Simon, 1878 – France Cheiracanthium furculatum Karsch, 1879 – Cape Verde, Africa, Madagascar, Comoros Cheiracanthium gratum Kulczyński, 1897 – Germany, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia (Europe), Kazakhstan Cheiracanthium ienisteai Sterghiu, 1985 – Romania, Albania Cheiracanthium incertum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869 – Sri Lanka Cheiracanthium inclusum (Hentz, 1847) – North America, Central America, Caribbean, South America. Introduced to Réunion Cheiracanthium indicum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 – India, Sri Lanka Cheiracanthium insigne O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 – India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, China, Taiwan Cheiracanthium insulanum (Thorell, 1878) – Indonesia (Moluccas: Ambon) Cheiracanthium insulare L. Koch, 1866 – Samoa Cheiracanthium insulare (Vinson, 1863) – Madagascar, Réunion Cheiracanthium margaritae Sterghiu, 1985 – Romania Cheiracanthium mildei L. Koch, 1864 – Azores, Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Middle East, Caucasus, Russia, (Europe). Introduced to North America, Argentina Cheiracanthium minshullae Lotz, 2007 – Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa Cheiracanthium occidentale L. Koch, 1882 – Spain (Minorca), Italy Cheiracanthium oncognathum Thorell, 1871 – Europe Cheiracanthium pennatum Simon, 1878 – Southern Europe, Romania Cheiracanthium punctorium (Villers, 1789) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Iran, Central Asia (type species) Cheiracanthium salsicola Simon, 1932 – France Cheiracanthium schenkeli Caporiacco, 1949 – Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, South Africa Cheiracanthium shiluvanense Lotz, 2007 – South Africa Cheiracanthium taiwanicum Chen, Huang, Chen & Wang, 2006 – China, Taiwan Cheiracanthium taprobanense Strand, 1907 – Sri Lanka Cheiracanthium torsivum Chen & Huang, 2012 – Taiwan Cheiracanthium vansoni Lawrence, 1936 – Tanzania, Zambia, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa

C. abbreviatum Simon, 1878 – France, Denmark C. aculeatum Simon, 1884 – Ivory Coast, Sudan, Somalia, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe, South Africa C. aden Lotz, 2007 – Yemen C. adjacens O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885 – Pakistan C. adjacensoides Song, Chen & Hou, 1990 – India, China, Taiwan, Philippines C. africanum Lessert, 1921 – Africa, Madagascar, Réunion C. aizwalense B. Biswas & K. Biswas, 2007 – India C. aladanense Lotz, 2007 – Yemen C. albidulum (Blackwall, 1859) – Madeira C. ambrense Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. ampijoroa Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. andamanense (Tikader, 1977) – India (Andaman Is.) C. andranomay Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. angolense Lotz, 2007 – Angola, Zimbabwe, South Africa C. angulitarse Simon, 1878 – Spain, France (Corsica), Italy, Malta, Hungary, Romania C. anjozorobe Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. annulipes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872 – Canary Islands, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Egypt, Israel C. antungense Chen & Huang, 2012 – Taiwan C. apia Platnick, 1998 – Samoa C. approximatum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885 – Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Laos to China, Taiwan, Philippines C. arcilongum Li & Zhang, 2023 – China C. ashleyi Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. auenati Caporiacco, 1936 – Libya C. auriculatum J. S. Zhang, G. R. Zhang & Yu, 2018 – China C. bannaensis Li & Zhang, 2024 – China C. bantaengi Merian, 1911 – Indonesia (Sulawesi) C. barbarum (Lucas, 1846) – Algeria C. bawanglingense Li & Zhang, 2024 – China (Hainan) C. bifurcatum Li & Zhang, 2024 – China C. boendense Lotz, 2015 – DR Congo C. brevicalcaratum L. Koch, 1873 – Indonesia (Lombok), Australia (Western Australia) C. brevidens Kroneberg, 1875 – Central Asia C. brevispinum Song, Feng & Shang, 1982 – Mongolia, China, Korea C. buri Esyunin & Efimik, 2021 – Russia (South Siberia) C. campestre Lohmander, 1944 – Sweden, Denmark, Central Europe, Italy, Romania, Ukraine, Russia (Europe) C. canariense Wunderlich, 1987 – Canary Islands, Turkey, Egypt C. catindigae Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines C. caudatum (Thorell, 1887) – Myanmar C. chayuense Li & Zhang, 2019 – China C. circulum Li & Zhang, 2023 – China C. conflexum Simon, 1906 – India C. conspersum (Thorell, 1891) – India (Nicobar Is.) C. crucigerum Rainbow, 1920 – Australia (Norfolk Is.) C. danieli Tikader, 1975 – India C. daofeng Yu & Li, 2020 – China C. daquilium Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Indonesia, Philippines C. debile Simon, 1890 – Chad, Yemen C. denisi Caporiacco, 1939 – Ethiopia, Congo C. digitatum Li & Zhang, 2023 – China C. dippenaarae Lotz, 2007 – South Africa C. duanbi Yu & Li, 2020 – China C. echinulatum J. S. Zhang, G. R. Zhang & Yu, 2018 – China C. effossum Herman, 1879 – Central to eastern Europe C. elegans Thorell, 1875 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Kazakhstan, Iran, Central Asia C. equestre O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 – Libya, Egypt C. erraticum (Walckenaer, 1802) – Azores, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Iran, Central Asia, China, Korea, Japan C. eutittha Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 – Taiwan, Japan, Korea? C. excavatum Rainbow, 1920 – Australia (Norfolk Is.) C. exilipes (Lucas, 1846) – Algeria C. exquestitum Zhang & Zhu, 1993 – China C. falcatum Chen, Huang, Chen & Wang, 2006 – Taiwan C. falcis Lotz, 2015 – Gabon C. festae Pavesi, 1895 – Israel C. fibrosum Zhang, Hu & Zhu, 1994 – China C. filiapophysium Chen & Huang, 2012 – Taiwan C. fisheri Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. floresense Wunderlich, 2008 – Azores C. foordi Lotz, 2015 – South Africa C. foulpointense Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. fujianense Gong, 1983 – China C. fulvotestaceum Simon, 1878 – France C. furax L. Koch, 1873 – Samoa C. furculatum Karsch, 1879 – Cape Verde, Africa, Madagascar, Comoros C. ghanaense Lotz, 2015 – Ghana C. gobi Schmidt & Barensteiner, 2000 – China C. gou Yu & Li, 2020 – China C. gracile L. Koch, 1873 – Australia (Queensland, New South Wales) C. gratum Kulczyński, 1897 – Germany, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia (Europe), Kazakhstan C. griswoldi Lotz, 2014 – Madagascar C. hainanense (Li & Zhang, 2024) – China (Hainan) C. halophilum Schmidt & Piepho, 1994 – Cape Verde C. haroniense Lotz, 2007 – Zimbabwe C. himalayense Gravely, 1931 – India C. hypocyrtum Zhang & Zhu, 1993 – China C. ienisteai Sterghiu, 1985 – Romania, Albania C. ilicis Morano & Bonal, 2016 – Spain C. impressum Thorell, 1881 – Australia (Queensland) C. incertum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869 – Sri Lanka C. inclusum (Hentz, 1847) – North America, Central America, Caribbean, South America. Introduced to Réunion C. incomptum (Thorell, 1891) – India (Nicobar Is.) C. indicum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 – India, Sri Lanka C. inflatum Wang & Zhang, 2013 – China C. inornatum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 – India C. insigne O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 – India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, China, Taiwan C. insulanum (Thorell, 1878) – Indonesia (Moluccas: Ambon) C. insulare L. Koch, 1866 – Samoa C. insulare (Vinson, 1863) – Madagascar, Réunion C. iranicum Esyunin & Zamani, 2020 – Iran, India C. isiacum O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874 – Libya, Egypt C. itakeum Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines C. jabalpurense Majumder & Tikader, 1991 – India C. japonicum Bösenberg & Strand, 1906 – Russia (Far East), Mongolia, China, Korea, Japan C. jiuquan Li & Zhang, 2023 – China C. jocquei Lotz, 2014 – Comoros, Madagascar C. joculare Simon, 1909 – São Tomé and Príncipe C. jorgeense Wunderlich, 2008 – Azores C. jovium Denis, 1947 – Egypt C. kabalense Lotz, 2015 – Uganda C. kakamega Lotz, 2015 – Kenya C. kakumense Lotz, 2015 – Ivory Coast, Ghana, Congo C. kashmirense Majumder & Tikader, 1991 – India C. kazachstanicum Ponomarev, 2007 – Kazakhstan C. kenyaense Lotz, 2007 – Africa C. kibonotense Lessert, 1921 – Ethiopia, DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda C. klabati Merian, 1911 – Indonesia (Sulawesi) C. knipperi Lotz, 2011 – Tanzania C. kupense Lotz, 2007 – Cameroon C. lanceolatum Chrysanthus, 1967 – Indonesia (New Guinea) C. lascivum Karsch, 1879 – Russia (Sakhalin), China, Korea, Japan C. leucophaeum Simon, 1897 – Madagascar C. ligawsolanum Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines C. liplikeum Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines C. liuyangense Xie, Yin, Yan & Kim, 1996 – China C. lompobattangi Merian, 1911 – Indonesia (Sulawesi)