Oxyopes gracilipes was first described in 1849 as Sphasus gracilipes. The species was described again in 1878 as Oxyopes elegans. In 1885, Arthur Urquhart described the spider again as Sphasus gregarius. In 1892, Urquhart moved S. gregarius to the Oxyopesgenus. In 1998, S. gracilipes was moved to the Oxyopes genus and O. gregarius was recognized as a synonym of this species.