Tooth Cave spider

Tayshaneta myopica is a small spider, about 1.6 mm (1⁄16 in) in total body length. Relative to its body, it has long legs: the first leg, the longest, is about 4.3 mm (3⁄16 in), the third leg, the shortest, about 2.9 mm (1⁄8 in). It is generally whitish in color with some yellower parts. It has six eyes, a group of four at the front and two behind. The eyes were initially described as "obsolescent" and without dark pigment. Later it was discovered that the species occurs in a range of forms, from depigmented, blind individuals to darkly pigmented, large-eyed individuals. Little is known of the life history of any of the species in the family Leptonetidae.

In 2012, Tayshaneta myopica was known from caves in Travis County and Williamson County to the northwest of Austin, Texas. Six locations were given on a distribution map for the species, although precise details of the locations have not been given, partly for conservation reasons. The caves occur in Edward's Plateau, a limestone ("karst") region of Central Texas. Tayshaneta spiders appear to spend most of their lives in their web, except for mature males. However, individuals of T. myopica from four nearby caves (Tooth Cave, Root Cave, Gallifer Cave and Tight Pit) have been shown to have identical mitochondrial and nuclear DNA haplotypes, suggesting that movement between the sites does take place. Individuals were seen suspended beneath low sheet webs, from which they dropped when disturbed.