The agelenid funnel‐weaver family and the spider genusCedicusin Israel (Araneae, Agelenidae and Cybaeidae)

The funnel‐weaver spiders of the family Agelenidae in Israel are revised along with spiders of the excluded genusCedicus, here placed in the Cybaeidae. Although the webs are conspicuous and abundant only very few members of these families have been reported thus far from the East Mediterranean fauna. Altogether 19 species of agelenids are described with detailed diagnostic illustrations, including eight new records and six species new to science. With the biological and zoogeographical information revised and all type and non‐type material pertinent to the fauna reexamined, the occurrence ofLycosoidesandMaimunain the Middle East has been verified whileTextrixis absent.Agelenais represented only by a single species. Two Mediterranean species are newly placed inBenoitia, and a new genusAgelescapehas been erected to accommodate three species.Tegenariaproves to be the largest indigenous genus and includes some of the long‐legged spiders in Israel. The relationships ofCedicusand its two species in Israel are addressed. The new species described are:Agelescape gideoni, Maimuna carmelica, M. meronis, Tegenaria mediterranea, T. epacris, T. angustipalpis and Cedicus israeliensis.