List of arachnids of Ireland


There are approximately 1,107 species of arachnid native to Ireland. This page lists them, but is not up to date for all taxa.
Arachnids are eight-legged chelicerate arthropods with pedipalps and bodies divided into two tagmata.
The most best known and familiar group in Ireland is the spiders, and there are also several species of harvestman, ticks, mites and pseudoscorpions. Arachnid groups absent from Ireland include true scorpions, whip scorpions, solifuges, cave spiders, microwhip scorpions, hooded tick spiders and tarantulas.

Subclass [Dromopoda]

Order [Opiliones] (harvestmen / daddy-long-legs)

15 native species and three species which are not considered to be native: Odiella spinosus, Opilio parietinus and ''Dicranopalpus ramosus''

Family [Nemastomatidae]

17 species

Family [Cheiridiidae]

At least 684 species

Order [Ixodida] (ticks)

Family [Ixodidae]

10 species
2 species

Order [Prostigmata] (sucking true mites)

249 species

Family [Alycidae]

4 species

Family [Arrenuridae]

5 species

Family [Bdellidae]

5 species

Family [Ereynetidae]

1 species

Family [Eriophyidae] (gall mites)

52 species
7 species

Family [Eupodidae]

2 species

Family [Eylaidae]

3 species

Family [Halacaridae] (marine mites)

44 species
1 species
2 species

Family [Hydryphantidae]

2 species

Family [Hygrobatidae]

6 species

Family [Lebertiidae]

11 species

Family [Limnesiidae]

2 species

Family [Meyerellidae]

3 species

Family [Microtrombidiidae]

4 species

Family [Mideidae]

1 species

Family [Mideopsidae]

1 species

Family [Nanorchestidae]

2 species

Family [Oxidae]

1 species

Family [Penthaleidae]

2 species

Family [Phytoptidae]

2 species

Family [Pionidae]

14 species

Family [Podothrombiidae]

1 species

Family [Rhagidiidae]

4 species

Family [Scutacaridae]

1 species

Family [Sperchontidae]

7 species

Family [Stigmaeidae]

3 species

Family [Tanaupodidae]

1 species

Family [Tarsonemidae]

14 species

Family [Tetranychidae]

6 species

Family [Teutoniidae]

1 species

Family [Torrenticolidae]

9 species

Family [Trombiculidae]

1 species

Family [Tydeidae]

15 species

Family [Unionicolidae]

6 species

Order [Sarcoptiformes] ([Clade])

Suborder [Oribatida] (moss mites / beetle mites)

173 species have been identified for the Republic of Ireland

Family [Achipteriidae]

4 species

Family [Adelphacaridae]

1 species

Family [Ameronothridae]

7 species

Family [Banksinomidae]

1 species

Family [Belbidae]

1 species

Family [Brachychthoniidae]

19 species

Family [Caleremaeidae]

1 species

Family [Camisiidae]

6 species

Family Cepheidae">Cepheidae (mite)">Cepheidae

3 species

Family [Cosmochthoniidae]

1 species

Family [Euphthiracaridae]

1species

Family [Euzetidae]

2 species

Family [Hermanniidae]

7 species

Family [Hypochthoniidae]

2 species

Family [Liodidae]

1 species

Family [Malaconothridae]

6 species

Family [Mycobatidae]

4 species

Family [Nanhermanniidae]

4 species

Family [Nothridae]

2 species

Family [Perlohmanniidae]

1 species

Family [Phthiracaridae]

4 species

Family [Carabodidae]

5 species

Family [Ceratozetidae]

12 species

Family [Chamobatidae]

4 species

Family [Ctenobelbidae]

1 species

Family [Cymbaeremaeidae]

1 species

Family [Damaeidae]

3 species
1 species

Family [Galumnidae]

2 species

Family [Haplozetidae]

1 species

Family [Humerobatidae]

1 species

Family [Hydrozetidae]

1 species

Family [Liacaridae]

4 species

Family [Limnozetidae]

2 species

Family [Metrioppiidae]

1 species

Family [Micreremidae]

1 species

Family [Neoliodidae]

1 species

Family [Oppiidae]

16 species

Family [Oribatellidae]

3 species

Family [Oribatulidae]

7 species

Family [Passalozetidae]

1 species

Family [Phenopelopidae]

8 species

Family [Protoribatidae]

1 species

Family [Protoribatidae]

1 species

Family [Punctoribatidae]

1 species

Family [Quadroppiidae]

1 species

Family [Scheloribatidae]

2 species

Family [Scutoverticidae]

2 species

Family [Steganacaridae]

2 species

Family [Suctobelbidae]

6 species

Family [Tectocepheidae]

1 species

Family [Thyrisomidae]

2 species

Family [Xenillidae]

1 species

Suborder [Astigmatina]

Order [Trombidiformes]

Family [Limnocharidae]

390 species belonging to 31 families

Family [Agelenidae] (funnel-web spiders)

Key works are:-
  • Jones, Dick, 1983 The Country Life Guide to spiders of Britain and Northern Europe Country Life Books/Hamlyn
  • Jones-WaltersL.M., Keys to Families of British Spiders AIDGAP Guide, Field Studies Council No. 197, 1989.
  • Locket, G.H. and Millidge, A.F. British Spiders. Vol I 1951, Vol II 1953 Ray Society of London.
  • Locket, G.H., Millidge, A.F. and Merrett P. British Spiders Vol III 1974 Ray Society of London.
  • Roberts, Michael J., The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland Vols I, II, 1985, III 1987. Harley Books
  • Roberts, Michael J., 1993 The Spiders of Great Britain and Ireland Compact Edition Harley Books, 1993
  • Roberts, Michael J., 1995 Collins Field Guide: Spiders of Britain and Northern Europe Harper Collins
Peter C. Barnard, 1999 Identifying British insects and arachnids: an annotated bibliography of key works
Cambridge University Press provides a comprehensive list of identification literature.