Achaearanea is a genus of comb-footed spiders that was first described by Embrik Strand in 1929. It used to include the extremely abundant common house spider, which was transferred to genus Parasteatoda in 2006, together with many other species. A. veruculata and many more species were moved to genus Cryptachaea in 2008. Others were moved to the revived Henziectypus. The genus was thus reduced from about 150 species to about 22 species during major revisions. Possibly even more species should be transferred to other genera. Description This genus includes small and large theridiids. The legs are medium long, with spines and usually many hairs. Their web is an irregular network of threads, usually in a sheltered place. Distribution Species are found around the world, with several species from South America, China and Korea, India, Australia and Africa. Some species are endemic to several small islands. Species it contains twenty-eight species, found in Central America, South America, Asia, Africa, Australia, on the Canary Islands, and in Puerto Rico: Achaearanea alboinsignita Locket, 1980 – Comoros Achaearanea baltoformis Yin & Peng, 2012 – China Achaearanea biarclata Yin & Bao, 2012 – China Achaearanea budana Tikader, 1970 – India Achaearanea coilioducta Yin, 2012 – China Achaearanea diglipuriensis Tikader, 1977 – India (Andaman Is.) Achaearanea disparata Denis, 1965 – Gabon, Ivory Coast Achaearanea diversipes (Rainbow, 1920) – Australia (Norfolk Is., Lord Howe Is.) Achaearanea dubitabilis Wunderlich, 1987 – Canary Is. Achaearanea durgae Tikader, 1970 – India Achaearanea epicosma (Rainbow, 1920) – Australia (Lord Howe Is.) Achaearanea extumida Xing, Gao & Zhu, 1994 – China Achaearanea flavomaculata Yin, 2012 – China Achaearanea globispira Henschel & Jocqué, 1994 – South Africa Achaearanea hieroglyphica (Mello-Leitão, 1940) – Peru, Brazil, French Guiana Achaearanea inopinata Brignoli, 1972 – Venezuela Achaearanea linhan Yin & Bao, 2012 – China Achaearanea machaera Levi, 1959 – Panama Achaearanea maricaoensis (Bryant, 1942) – Panama, Puerto Rico Achaearanea micratula (Banks, 1909) – Costa Rica Achaearanea nigrodecorata (Rainbow, 1920) – Australia (Lord Howe Is.) Achaearanea palgongensis Seo, 1993 – Korea Achaearanea propera (Keyserling, 1890) – Australia (New South Wales, Tasmania, Lord Howe Is.) Achaearanea septemguttata (Simon, 1909) – Vietnam Achaearanea simaoica Zhu, 1998 – China Achaearanea tingo Levi, 1963 – Peru, Brazil Achaearanea trapezoidalis (Taczanowski, 1873) (type) – Panama to Paraguay Achaearanea triangularis Patel, 2005 – India Formerly included species A. acoreensis (Berland, 1932) (Transferred to Cryptachaea) A. alacris (Keyserling, 1884) (Transferred to Cryptachaea) A. altiventer (Keyserling,