The Dionycha are a clade of spiders (Araneomorphae:Entelegynae), characterized by the possession of two tarsal claws with tufts of hairs (setae) beside them, which produce strong adhesion, enabling some species to climb glass.[2] The circumscription of the group has varied widely; a 2021 analysis resulted in about 20 families, including Salticidae (jumping spiders), Gnaphosidae (ground spiders), and Clubionidae.[3]
The Dionycha are considered to be a subgroup of the larger RTA clade.[2] Most species hunt their prey instead of building webs.
Today it is thought that the reduction of the third claw present in ancestral spiders evolved several times independently,[1] so this alone is not a criterion that defines the clade.
In 2021, a group of several spider taxonomists published a major study of the phylogeny of Dionycha, using genetic and phenotypic data. It included the families listed below:[3]