The Agelenidae are a large family of spiders in the suborder Araneomorphae. Well-known examples include the common "grass spiders" of the genus Agelenopsis. Nearly all Agelenidae are harmless to humans, but the bite of the hobo spider (Eratigena agrestis) may be medically significant, and some evidence suggests it might cause necrotic lesions. However, the matter remains subject to debate. The most widely accepted common name for members of the family is funnel weaver.

The body length of the smallest Agelenidae are about 4 millimetres (0.16 in) long, excluding the legs, while the larger species grow to 20 millimetres (0.79 in) long. Some exceptionally large species, like Eratigena atrica, may reach 5 to 10 centimetres (2.0 to 3.9 in) in total leg span.

Agelenids have eight eyes in two horizontal rows of four. The cephalothorax narrows somewhat towards the front where the eyes are. The abdomen is more or less oval, usually patterned with two rows of lines and spots. Some species have longitudinal lines on the dorsal surface of the cephalothorax, whereas other species do not; for example, the hobo spider does not, which assists in informally distinguishing it from similar-looking species.

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia