[2] Two species that frequently build webs in and around human dwellings are now placed in this genus: the hobo spider (Eratigena agrestis), native to Europe and Central Asia and introduced to North America, and the giant house spider (Eratigena atrica), native to Europe and also introduced into North America.

Two symmetrical dark bands are present dorsally on the carapace, which can be serrated or reduced, usually to three or four conspicuous triangles.

Using both morphological and molecular data, the study found four well-supported clades, one of which constituted a new genus Eratigena, comprising species formerly placed in Tegenaria and Malthonica.

[3] Based on both morphological and DNA data, one hypothesis for the phylogeny of Eratigena and related genera is:[6] Aterigena Eratigena Histopona Malthonica Tegenaria Bolzern et al. (2013) provide a key to the European agelenid genera.

The genus differs from Tegenaria in the number and size of the teeth on the rear margin of the chelicerae.