''Leucorchestris'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of African huntsman spiders that was first described in 1962 by R. F. Lawrence, who described all of the species in the genus between 1962 and 1966. ''Leucorchestris'' species, also known as a "dancing white lady spiders", are white, wandering spiders that are strictly nocturnal and live in burrows that have been dug into the desert sand. They spend their days burrowed in the sand and only come out to the surface at night. When it is time to come out, ''Leucorchestris'' only come out for hunting, mating, and chasing other male spiders. Males are known well for the long distances that they travel when searching for females to mate with. When the male spiders leave their burrows to go out and search for female spiders for mating, their trips usually go as far out as 40-60 m away from their burrows and they are still able to find their way back to them without retracing the path that they took when leaving. ''Leucorchestris'' species communicate through vibrations called drumming. This is what they use to steer away from other male spiders during mating time and to find the female spiders.

Species

it contains seven species, found in Africa: *'' Leucorchestris alexandrina'' Lawrence, 1966 –

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*''

Leucorchestris arenicola ''Leucorchestris arenicola,'' commonly called the dancing white lady spider, is a huntsman spider in the family ''Sparassidae'' and genus '' Leucorchestris.'' It is commonly found in the Namib desert of Namibia. It is often mistaken with the sim ...

'' Lawrence, 1962 ( type) –

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

*'' Leucorchestris flavimarginata'' Lawrence, 1966 – Namibia *'' Leucorchestris porti'' Lawrence, 1965 – Namibia *'' Leucorchestris sabulosa'' Lawrence, 1966 – Namibia *'' Leucorchestris setifrons'' Lawrence, 1966 – Angola *'' Leucorchestris steyni'' Lawrence, 1965 – Namibia

References

Nørgaard, T., Henschel, J. R., & Wehner, R. (2005). The night-time temporal window of locomotor activity in the Namib desert long-distance wandering spider, leucorchestris arenicola. Journal of Comparative Physiology A, 192(4), 365–372. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-005-0072-7 /ref> Araneomorphae genera Sparassidae Spiders of Africa {{Sparassidae-stub

Species

See also

References