The Cyatholipidae are a spider

Spider

Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...

 family with 58 described species in 23 genera.

They were discovered in the late 19th century in Africa. Cyatholipidae live mostly in moist, montane forests. Certain species, such as Scharffia rossi, however, live in dry regions, such as savannah

Savannah

Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...

.

Most members of this family hang beneath sheet webs.

Distribution

Most species occur in Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

 (with Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

), several in New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 and Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

, and one species (Pokennips dentipes) in Jamaica

Jamaica

Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...

.

Genera

• Alaranea Griswold, 1997 (Madagascar)
• Buibui Griswold, 2001 (Africa)
• Cyatholipus Simon, 1894 (South Africa)
• Hanea Forster, 1988 (New Zealand)
• Ilisoa Griswold, 1987 (South Africa)
• Isicabu Griswold, 1987 (Africa)
• Kubwa Griswold, 2001 (Tanzania)
• Lordhowea Griswold, 2001 (Lord Howe Island
  Lord Howe Island
  Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand, directly east of mainland Port Macquarie, and about from Norfolk Island. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of...
  
  )
• Matilda Forster
  Raymond Robert Forster
  Raymond Robert Forster was a spider expert.He wrote his first paper on spiders at the age of 17. He studied at Victoria University...
  
  , 1988 (Australia)
• Pembatatu Griswold, 2001 (Africa)
• Pokennips Griswold, 2001 (Jamaica)
• Scharffia Griswold, 1997 (Africa)
• Teemenaarus Davies, 1978 (Australia)
• Tekella Urquhart, 1894 (New Zealand)
• Tekellatus Wunderlich, 1978 (Australia)
• Tekelloides Forster, 1988 (New Zealand)
• Toddiana Forster, 1988 (Australia)
• Ubacisi Griswold, 2001 (South Africa)
• Ulwembua Griswold, 1987 (Africa, Madagascar)
• Umwani Griswold, 2001 (Africa)
• Uvik Griswold, 2001 (Africa)
• Vazaha Griswold, 1997 (Madagascar)
• Wanzia Griswold, 1998