Identification of Money Spiders (Linyphiidae)

The money-spiders or Linyphiidae are a poorly studied group in the Australasian regions.

There is no generic key to identify Australasian linyphiids, but some key references may help to identify spiders in Australia and New Zealand:

	Helsdingen, P. J. van. 1972. An account of money spiders from down under (Araneida, Linyphiidae). Zoologische Mededelingen 47: 369-390.
	Wunderlich, J. 1976. Spinnen aus Australien. 2. Linyphiidae (Arachnida: Araneida). Senckenbergiana biologica 57, 125-142.
	Millidge, A.F. 1988. Family Linyphiidae. In: Forster, R.R, Millidge, A.F. and Court, D.J. The spiders of New Zealand.Part VI. Otago Museum Bulletin 6, 35-67.
	Blest, A.D. and Vink, C.J. 2002. New Zealand spiders: Linyphiidae, Mynogleninae. Records of the Canterbury Museum 16 (Supplement), 1-32.

There are a number of cosmopolitan species in the Australasian region (see Millidge 1988 for New Zealand), including Ostearius melanopygius, Lepthyphantes tenuis, Diplocephalus cristatus, Araeoncus humilis, Lessertia dentichelis, Erigone prominens, and Eperigone fradeorum. Check Platnick�s Katalog for a list of descriptions and illustrations of these linyphiids.