The Araneomorphae, previously called the Labidognatha, are a suborder of spiders. They are distinguished by having chelicerae that point diagonally forward and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae (tarantulas and their close kin), where they point straight down. Most of the spiders that people encounter in daily life belong to this suborder.

Note the difference in the orientations of the chelicerae (fangs) of the two spiders below, representatives of the Orthognatha and the Araneomorphae.

Sphodros rufines

This Sphodros rufines (left) is making a threat display, and by so doing shows very clearly the orientation of its chelicerae, which go up and down, parallel to the long axis of the spider's body. So it stands as a representative of the suborder Orthognatha.

This Burrowing Wolf Spider (right), Geolycosa sp., is also making a threat display, and with a little care you can see how the fangs slope toward each other. This alignment of the chelicerae is typical of the Araneomorphae. (Click Chopstick fangs.png to see a closeup of the Geolycosa sp. which has been digitally enhanced to make the business end of the chelicerae more easily seen.)

&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Hypochilidae (lampshade spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Filistatidae (crevice weaver)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Sicariidae (recluse spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Scytodidae (spitting spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Leptonetidae (leptonetid spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Pholcidae (daddy long-legs spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Plectreuridae (plectreurid spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Diguetidae (coneweb spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Caponiidae (two-eyed spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Segestriidae (tube-dwelling spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Dysderidae (woodlouse hunter spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Oonopidae (oonopid spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Palpimanidae (palp-footed spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Mimetidae (pirate spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Eresidae (velvet spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Oecobiidae (including Urocteidae)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp(wall and six-exit tent spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Hersiliiidae (tree trunk spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Deinopidae (ogre-faced spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Uloboridae (cribellate orb and
        sector weaver spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Nesticidae (scaffold web spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Theridiidae (tangle web spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Linyphiidae (bowl and doily and
        dwarf spiders)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Tetragnathidae (long jawed spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Araneidae (orb-weaver spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Lycosidae (wolf spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Pisauridae (nursery web spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Oxyopidae (lynx spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Zorocratidae (zorocratid spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Zoropsidae (zoropsid spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Ctenidae (wandering spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Agelenidae (araneomorph funnel-web spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Cybaeidae (water spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Desidae (intertidal spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Hahniidae (dwarf sheet spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Dictynidae (dictynid spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Amaurobiidae (tangled nest spider )
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Titanoecidae (titanoecid spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Tengellidae (tengellid spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Miturgidae (long-legged sac spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Anyphaenidae (anyphaenid sac spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Liocranidae (liocranid sac spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Clubionidae (sac spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Corinnidae (corinnid sac spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Zodariidae (zodariid ground spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Gnaphosidae (ground spiders)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Selenopidae (wall crab spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Sparassidae (huntsman, etc.)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Philodromidae (philodromid crab spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Thomisidae (crab spider)
&nbsp&nbsp&nbsp Salticidae (jumping spider)
Source: Platnick 2003