Wolf spiders are members of the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin
web
Web most often refers to:
* Spider web, a silken structure created by the animal
* World Wide Web or the Web, an Internet-based hypertext system
Web, WEB, or the Web may also refer to:
Computing
* WEB, a literate programming system created by ...
s. Some are opportunistic hunters, pouncing upon prey as they find it or chasing it over short distances; others wait for passing prey in or near the mouth of a burrow.
Wolf spiders resemble
nursery web spider
Nursery web spiders (Pisauridae) is a family of araneomorph spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1890. They resemble wolf spiders (Lycosidae) except for several key differences. Wolf spiders have two very prominent eyes in addition to the o ...
s (family Pisauridae), but wolf spiders carry their egg sacs by attaching them to their
spinneret
A spinneret is a silk-spinning organ of a spider or the larva of an insect. Some adult insects also have spinnerets, such as those borne on the forelegs of Embioptera. Spinnerets are usually on the underside of a spider's opisthosoma, and are ...
s, while the Pisauridae carry their egg sacs with their
chelicerae
The chelicerae () are the mouthparts of the subphylum Chelicerata, an arthropod group that includes arachnids, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. Commonly referred to as "jaws", chelicerae may be shaped as either articulated fangs, or similarly ...
and
pedipalp
Pedipalps (commonly shortened to palps or palpi) are the second pair of appendages of chelicerates – a group of arthropods including spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, and sea spiders. The pedipalps are lateral to the chelicerae ("jaws") and ...
s. Two of the wolf spider's eight eyes are large and prominent; this distinguishes them from nursery web spiders, whose eyes are all of roughly equal size. This can also help distinguish them from the similar-looking
grass spiders.
Description
The many genera of wolf spiders range in body size (legs not included) from less than . They have eight eyes arranged in three rows. The bottom row consists of four small eyes, the middle row has two very large eyes (which distinguishes them from the
Pisauridae
Nursery web spiders (Pisauridae) is a family of Araneomorphae, araneomorph spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1890. They resemble wolf spiders (Lycosidae) except for several key differences. Wolf spiders have two very prominent eyes in ad ...
), and the top row has two medium-sized eyes. Unlike most other arachnids, which are generally blind or have poor vision, wolf spiders have excellent eyesight.
The ''
tapetum lucidum
The ''tapetum lucidum'' ( ; ; ) is a layer of tissue in the eye of many vertebrates and some other animals. Lying immediately behind the retina, it is a retroreflector. It reflects visible light back through the retina, increasing the light a ...
'' is a retroreflective tissue found in eyes. This reflective tissue is only found in the four largest eyes ("
secondary eyes") of the wolf spider. Flashing a beam of light over the spider produces eyeshine; this eyeshine can be seen when the lighting source is roughly
coaxial
In geometry, coaxial means that several three-dimensional linear or planar forms share a common axis. The two-dimensional analog is ''concentric''.
Common examples:
A coaxial cable is a three-dimensional linear structure. It has a wire conduc ...
with the viewer or sensor. The light from the light source (e.g., a flashlight or sunlight) has been
reflected from the spider's eyes directly back toward its source, producing a "glow" that is easily noticed. Wolf spiders possess the third-best eyesight of all spider groups, bettered by
jumping spider
Jumping spiders are a group of spiders that constitute the family (biology), family Salticidae. As of 2019, this family contained over 600 described genera and over 6,000 described species, making it the largest family of spiders at 13% of all sp ...
s of the family Salticidae (which can distinguish colors) and the
huntsman spider
Huntsman spiders, members of the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), are known by this name because of their speed and mode of hunting. They are also called giant crab spiders because of their size and appearance. Larger species sometim ...
s.
![Lycosidae female carrying young](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Lycosidae_female_carrying_young.jpg)
Wolf spiders are unique in the way that they carry their eggs. The egg sac, a round, silken globe, is attached to the spinnerets at the end of the abdomen, allowing the spider to carry her unhatched young with her. The abdomen must be held in a raised position to keep the egg case from dragging on the ground. Despite this handicap, they are still capable of hunting. Another aspect unique to wolf spiders is their method of care of young. Immediately after the spiderlings emerge from their protective silken case, they clamber up their mother's legs and crowd onto the dorsal side of her abdomen. The mother carries the spiderlings for several weeks before they are large enough to disperse and fend for themselves. No other spiders are currently known to carry their young on their backs for any period of time.
Because they depend on
camouflage
Camouflage is the use of any combination of materials, coloration, or illumination for concealment, either by making animals or objects hard to see, or by disguising them as something else. Examples include the leopard's spotted coat, the ...
for protection, they do not have the flashy appearance of some other kinds of spiders. In general, their coloration is appropriate to their favorite habitat.
''
Hogna
''Hogna'' is a genus of wolf spiders with more than 200 described species. It is found on all continents except Antarctica.
Etymology
The word ''Hogna'' might be a rough latinization of one of the Greek words '' ὄχνη'' (''ókhnē'') "p ...
'' is the genus with the largest of the wolf spiders. Among the ''Hogna'' species in the U.S., the nearly solid dark brown ''
H. carolinensis'' (Carolina wolf spider) is the largest, with a body that can be more than long. It is sometimes confused with
''H. helluo'', which is somewhat smaller and different in coloration. The underside of ''H. carolinensis'' is solid black, but the underside of ''H. helluo'' is variegated and has reds, oranges, and yellows with shades of black.
Some members of the Lycosidae, such as ''H. carolinensis'', make deep, tubular burrows in which they lurk much of the time. Others, such as ''H. helluo'', seek shelter under rocks and other shelters as nature may provide. As with spiders in general, males of almost any species can sometimes be found inside homes and buildings as they wander in search for females during the autumn.
Wolf spiders play an important role in natural population control of insects and are often considered "
beneficial bug
Beneficial insects (sometimes called beneficial bugs) are any of a number of species of insects that perform valued services like pollination and pest control. The concept of ''beneficial'' is subjective and only arises in light of desired outcome ...
s" due to their
predation of pest species within farms and gardens.
Venom
Wolf spiders inject
venom
Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
if continually provoked. Symptoms of their bites include swelling, mild pain, and itching. In the past,
necrotic
Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. Necrosis is caused by factors external to the cell or tissue, such as infection, or trauma which result in the unregulated dige ...
bites have been attributed to some
South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...
n species, but further investigation has indicated that those problems that did occur were probably actually due to bites by members of other genera. Australian wolf spiders have also been associated with necrotic wounds, but careful study has likewise shown them not to produce such results.
Genera
, the
World Spider Catalog
The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...
accepts these genera:
* ''
Acantholycosa
''Acantholycosa'' is a genus of wolf spiders. Members of this genus can be distinguished from closely related genera by the presence of more than three pairs of ventral
Standard anatomical terms of location are used to unambiguously describe ...
''
Dahl, 1908—Asia, Europe, North America
* ''
Adelocosa''
Gertsch, 1973—Hawaii
* ''
Agalenocosa''
Mello-Leitão, 1944—South America, Oceania, Mexico, India
* ''
Aglaoctenus''
Tullgren, 1905—South America
* ''
Algidus
''Algidus'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
New York, 1975-USA
* ''
Allocosa''
Banks, 1900—Oceania, North America, Africa, South America, Costa Rica, Asia, Europe
* ''
Allotrochosina
''Allotrochosina'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. So ...
''
Roewer, 1960—Australia, New Zealand
* ''
Alopecosa
''Alopecosa'' is a spider genus in the family Lycosidae (wolf spiders), with about 160 species. They have a largely Eurasian distribution, although some species are found in North Africa and North America.
Life cycle
Most species grow up to 2&nb ...
''
Simon, 1885—Asia, Europe, South America, Africa, North America, Oceania
* ''
Amblyothele
''Amblyothele'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1910 by Simon. , it contains 8 species, all from Africa.
Species
''Amblyothele'' comprises the following species:
*''Amblyothele albocincta'' Simon, 1910
* ...
''
Simon, 1910—Africa
* ''
Anomalomma''
Simon, 1890—Pakistan, Indonesia, Zimbabwe
* ''
Anomalosa''
Roewer, 1960—Australia
* ''
Anoteropsis
''Anoteropsis'' is a genus of wolf spiders. All the species except one are found in New Zealand and its islands.
Their body size ranges from 4.2 to 17.4 mm.
Species
, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following extant species:
*'' An ...
''
L. Koch, 1878—New Zealand, Papua New Guinea
* ''
Arctosa
''Arctosa'' is a genus of wolf spiders first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1847. it contains 169 species.
Species
* '' Arctosa albida'' (Simon, 1898)
* '' Arctosa albopellita'' (L. Koch, 1875)
* '' Arctosa algerina'' Roewer, 1960
* ''Arct ...
''
C. L. Koch, 1847—Africa, Europe, Asia, South America, North America, Vanuatu
* ''
Arctosippa''
Roewer, 1960—Peru
* ''
Arctosomma''
Roewer, 1960—Ethiopia
* ''
Artoria
''Artoria'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Thorell, 1877—Oceania, Africa, Asia
* ''
Artoriellula''
Roewer, 1960—South Africa, Indonesia
* ''
Artoriopsis''
Framenau, 2007—Australia, New Zealand
* ''
Aulonia''
C. L. Koch, 1847—Turkey
* ''
Auloniella''
Roewer, 1960—Tanzania
* ''
Birabenia
''Birabenia'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Mello-Leitão, 1941—Argentina, Uruguay
* ''
Bogdocosa''
Ponomarev & Belosludtsev, 2008—Asia
* ''
Brevilabus''
Strand, 1908—Ivory Coast, Senegal, Ethiopia
* ''
Bristowiella
''Bristowiella'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ...
''
Saaristo, 1980—Comoros, Seychelles
* ''
Camptocosa''
Dondale, Jiménez & Nieto, 2005—United States, Mexico
* ''
Caporiaccosa''
Roewer, 1960—Ethiopia
* ''
Caspicosa
''Caspicosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ...
''
Ponomarev, 2007—Kazakhstan, Russia
* ''
Costacosa
''Costacosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Framenau & Leung, 2013—Australia
* ''
Crocodilosa
''Crocodilosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ...
''
Caporiacco, 1947—India, Myanmar, Egypt
* ''
Cynosa''
Caporiacco, 1933—North Africa
* ''
Dejerosa''
Roewer, 1960—Mozambique
* ''
Deliriosa''
Kovblyuk, 2009—Ukraine
* ''
Diahogna''
Roewer, 1960—Australia
* ''
Diapontia''
Keyserling, 1877—South America
* ''
Dingosa
''Dingosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Roewer, 1955—Australia, Peru, Brazil
* ''
Dolocosa''
Roewer, 1960—St. Helena
* ''
Donacosa
''Donacosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Alderweireldt & Jocqué, 1991—Spain
* ''
Dorjulopirata''
Buchar, 1997—Bhutan
* ''
Draposa
''Draposa'' is a genus of wolf spiders in the family Lycosidae, containing ten species. The species were formerly included in genus ''Pardosa'', but later included in the new genus ''Draposa''.
Species
* ''Draposa amkhasensis'' (Tikader & Malhot ...
''
Kronestedt, 2010—Asia
* ''
Dzhungarocosa''
Fomichev & Marusik, 2017—Kazakhstan
* ''
Edenticosa
''Edenticosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1960 by Roewer. , it contains only one species, ''Edenticosa edentula'', on the island of Bioko
Bioko (; historically Fernando Po; bvb, Ëtulá Ëria) ...
''
Roewer, 1960—Equatorial Guinea
* ''
Evippa
''Evippa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are o ...
''
Simon, 1882—Africa, Asia, Spain
* ''
Evippomma''
Roewer, 1959—Africa, Asia
* ''
Foveosa''
Russell-Smith, Alderweireldt & Jocqué, 2007
* ''
Geolycosa
''Geolycosa'' is a genus of wolf spiders first described in 1904.
Species
, it contains 75 species:
*'' Geolycosa aballicola'' (Strand, 1906)
*'' Geolycosa albimarginata'' (Badcock, 1932)
*'' Geolycosa appetens'' Roewer, 1960
*'' Geolycosa ash ...
''
Montgomery, 1904—Africa, South America, Asia, North America, Oceania
* ''
Gladicosa''
Brady, 1987—North America
* ''
Gnatholycosa
''Gnatholycosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ...
''
Mello-Leitão, 1940—Argentina
* ''
Gulocosa''
Marusik, Omelko & Koponen, 2015
* ''
Hesperocosa''
Gertsch & Wallace, 1937—United States
* ''
Hippasa''
Simon, 1885—Africa, Asia
* ''
Hippasella
''Hippasella'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some a ...
''
Mello-Leitão, 1944—Argentina, Peru, Bolivia
* ''
Hoggicosa
''Hoggicosa'' is a genus of wolf spiders first described by Carl Friedrich Roewer in 1960. The name is a reference to arachnologist Henry Roughton Hogg
Henry Roughton Hogg (9 February 1846 – 30 November 1923) was a British amateur arachnolog ...
''
Roewer, 1960—Australia
* ''
Hogna
''Hogna'' is a genus of wolf spiders with more than 200 described species. It is found on all continents except Antarctica.
Etymology
The word ''Hogna'' might be a rough latinization of one of the Greek words '' ὄχνη'' (''ókhnē'') "p ...
''
Simon, 1885—Asia, Africa, South America, North America, Caribbean, Europe, Oceania, Central America
* ''
Hognoides
''Hognoides'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ar ...
''
Roewer, 1960—Tanzania, Madagascar
* ''
Hyaenosa''
Caporiacco, 1940—Asia, Africa
* ''
Hygrolycosa''
Dahl, 1908—Asia, Greece
* ''
Karakumosa''
Logunov & Ponomarev, 2020—Asia
* ''
Kangarosa''
Framenau, 2010—Australia
* ''
Katableps
''Katableps'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 2011 by Jocqué, Russell-Smith & Alderweireldt. , it contains 3 species from Madagascar.
References
Lycosidae
Araneomorphae genera
Spiders of Madaga ...
''
Jocqué, Russell-Smith & Alderweireldt, 2011
* ''
Knoelle''
Framenau, 2006—Australia
* ''
Lobizon''
Piacentini & Grismado, 2009—Argentina
* ''
Loculla''
Simon, 1910—Iran, Africa
* ''
Lycosa
''Lycosa'' is a genus of wolf spiders distributed throughout most of the world. Sometimes called the "true tarantula", though not closely related to the spiders most commonly called tarantulas today, ''Lycosa'' spp. can be distinguished from comm ...
''
Latreille, 1804—North America, Africa, Caribbean, Asia, Oceania, South America, Central America, Europe
* ''
Lycosella
''Lycosella'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1890 by Thorell. , it contains 5 species found in Hawaii and Sumatra.
References
Lycosidae
Araneomorphae genera
Spiders of Hawaii
Spiders of Asia
...
''
Thorell, 1890—Indonesia
* ''
Lysania''
Thorell, 1890—China, Malaysia, Indonesia
* ''
Mainosa
''Mainosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Framenau, 2006—Australia
* ''
Malimbosa''
Roewer, 1960—West Africa
* ''
Margonia''
Hippa & Lehtinen, 1983—India
* ''
Megarctosa''
Caporiacco, 1948—Africa, Asia, Argentina, Greece
* ''
Melecosa
''Melecosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. Its lone species is found in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and China.
The species was first described in 2004 by Marusik, Azarkina, and Koponen as '' Sibirocosa alpina'', then transferred ...
''
Marusik, Omelko & Koponen, 2015
* ''
Melocosa
''Melocosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ...
''
Gertsch, 1937—North America, Brazil
* ''
Minicosa
''Minicosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Alderweireldt & Jocqué, 2007—South Africa
* ''
Molitorosa''
Roewer, 1960—Brazil
* ''
Mongolicosa
''Mongolicosa'' is a genus of wolf spiders containing eight species found in central Asia from the Altai Mountains east to western Buryatia and south to Xinjiang and the Gobi Desert.
Spiders of this genus are dark coloured without any clear patt ...
''
Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004—Mongolia, China
* ''
Mustelicosa''
Roewer, 1960—Ukraine, Asia
* ''
Navira
''Navira'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are op ...
''
Piacentini & Grismado, 2009—Argentina
* ''
Notocosa
''Notocosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 2002 by Vink. , it contains only one species, ''Notocosa bellicosa'', found in New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the so ...
''
Vink, 2002—New Zealand
* ''
Nukuhiva''
Berland, 1935—Marquesas Is.
* ''
Oculicosa
''Oculicosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ar ...
''
Zyuzin, 1993—Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan
* ''
Ocyale''
Audouin, 1826—Africa, Peru, Asia
* ''
Orinocosa
''Orinocosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ...
''
Chamberlin, 1916—South America, Africa, Asia
* ''
Ovia''
Sankaran, Malamel & Sebastian, 2017—India, China, Taiwan
* ''
Paratrochosina''
Roewer, 1960—Argentina, North America, Russia
* ''
Pardosa
''Pardosa'' is a large genus of wolf spiders, commonly known as the thin-legged wolf spiders. It was first described by C. L. Koch, in 1847, with more than 500 described species that are found in all regions of the world.
Description
THey ...
''
C. L. Koch, 1847—Asia, Europe, South America, North America, Africa, Caribbean, Oceania, Central America
* ''
Pardosella
''Pardosella'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ...
''
Caporiacco, 1939—Ethiopia, Tanzania
* ''
Passiena''
Thorell, 1890—Africa, Asia
* ''
Pavocosa''
Roewer, 1960—Argentina, Brazil, Thailand
* ''
Phonophilus''
Ehrenberg, 1831—Libya
* ''
Pirata
Pirata may refer to:
* ''Pirata'' (album), a 1989 album by Litfiba
* Pirata (footballer) (born 1987), a Portuguese footballer
* ''Pirata'' (graphic novel), a graphic novel by Pol Medina, Jr
* ''Pirata'' (spider), a genus of wolf spiders
* ''Il p ...
''
Sundevall, 1833—South America, Africa, North America, Asia, Cuba, Central America
* ''
Piratula
''Piratula'' is a genus of wolf spiders first circumscribed in 1960. Its 26 species are found mainly in Asia, with a few found in Europe and North America.
Species
The following species are recognised in the genus ''Piratula'':
* ''Piratula b ...
''
Roewer, 1960—Asia, North America, Ukraine
* ''
Portacosa''
Framenau, 2017—Australia
* ''
Proevippa
''Proevippa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1903 by Purcell. , it contains 11 African species.
Species
''Proevippa'' comprises the following species:
*''Proevippa albiventris'' (Simon, 1898)
*''Proevip ...
''
Purcell, 1903—Africa
* ''
Prolycosides''
Mello-Leitão, 1942—Argentina
* ''
Pseudevippa''
Simon, 1910—Namibia
* ''
Pterartoria
''Pterartoria'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1903 by Purcell. , it contains 5 species.
References
Lycosidae
Araneomorphae genera
Spiders of South Africa
Spiders of Indonesia
{{Lycosidae-stu ...
''
Purcell, 1903—South Africa, Lesotho
* ''
Pyrenecosa''
Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004—Europe
* ''
Rabidosa''
Roewer, 1960—United States
* ''
Satta
Satta may refer to:
People Surname
* Melissa Satta (born 1986), Italian television presenter
* Salvatore Satta (1902–1975)
* Sebastiano Satta (1867–1914), Italian poet, writer, lawyer and journalist
Given name
* Satta Sheriff (born 199 ...
''
Lehtinen & Hippa, 1979—Papua New Guinea
* ''
Schizocosa''
Chamberlin, 1904—South America, Asia, Africa, North America, Vanuatu, Central America
* ''
Shapna''
Hippa & Lehtinen, 1983—India
* ''
Sibirocosa
''Sibirocosa'' is a genus of wolf spiders containing seven species, all from Russia, mostly found from northeastern Siberia south to Primorsky Krai. Spiders of this genus are dark coloured and hairy with a body length of 5.25 - 7.25 mm.
Sp ...
''
Marusik, Azarkina & Koponen, 2004—Russia
* ''
Sosippus''
Simon, 1888—North America, Central America
* ''
Syroloma''
Simon, 1900—Hawaii
* ''
Tapetosa
''Tapetosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 2009 by Framenau et al.. , it contains only one species, ''Tapetosa darwini'', found in western Australia.
References
Lycosidae
Monotypic Araneomorpha ...
''
Framenau, Main, Harvey & Waldock, 2009
* ''
Tasmanicosa''
Roewer, 1959—Australia
* ''
Tetralycosa''
Roewer, 1960—Australia
* ''
Tigrosa''
Brady, 2012—North America
* ''
Trabea
''Trabea'' (plural ''trabeae'') is the name of various pieces of Roman clothing. A distinct feature of all ''trabeae'' was their color – usually red or purple. They were formed like a toga and possibly in some cases like a mantle and worn by mor ...
''
Simon, 1876—Africa, Spain, Turkey
* ''
Trabeops''
Roewer, 1959—North America
* ''
Trebacosa''
Dondale & Redner, 1981—Europe, North America
* ''
Tricassa
''Tricassa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1910 by Simon. , it contains 2 African species.
References
Lycosidae
Araneomorphae genera
Spiders of Africa
{{Lycosidae-stub ...
''
Simon, 1910—Namibia, South Africa, Madagascar
* ''
Trochosa''
C. L. Koch, 1847—North America, Asia, Africa, South America, Oceania, Central America, Europe, Caribbean
* ''
Trochosippa
''Trochosippa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1960 by Roewer. , it contains 9 species.
Species
''Trochosippa'' comprises the following species:
*''Trochosippa eberlanzi'' Roewer, 1960
*''Trochosippa eu ...
''
Roewer, 1960—Africa, Indonesia, Argentina
* ''
Tuberculosa
''Tuberculosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 2006 by Framenau & Yoo. , it contains 4 Australian species.
References
Lycosidae
Araneomorphae genera
Spiders of Australia
{{Lycosidae-stub ...
''
Framenau & Yoo, 2006—Australia
* ''
Varacosa
''Varacosa'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae. It was first described in 1942 by Chamberlin & Ivie. , it contains 6 North American species.
Species
''Varacosa'' comprises the following species:
*''Varacosa apothetica'' (Wallace, 19 ...
''
Chamberlin & Ivie, 1942—North America
* ''
Venator''
Hogg, 1900—Australia
* ''
Venatrix
''Venatrix'' is a genus of wolf spiders
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are opportunistic hunte ...
''
Roewer, 1960—Oceania, Philippines
* ''
Venonia''
Thorell, 1894—Asia, Oceania
* ''
Vesubia
''Vesubia'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are ...
''
Simon, 1910—Italy, Russia, Turkmenistan
* ''
Wadicosa''
Zyuzin, 1985—Africa, Asia
* ''
Xerolycosa''
Dahl, 1908—Asia, Tanzania
* ''
Zantheres
''Zantheres'' is a genus of spiders in the family Lycosidae
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some ar ...
''
Thorell, 1887—Myanmar
* ''
Zenonina''
Simon, 1898—Africa
* ''
Zoica
''Zoica'' is a genus of wolf spiders in the family Lycosidae, containing twelve species.
Species
* ''Zoica bambusicola'' Lehtinen & Hippa, 1979 — Thailand
* ''Zoica bolubolu'' Lehtinen & Hippa, 1979 — New Guinea
* ''Zoica carolinensis'' Fram ...
''
Simon, 1898—Asia, Oceania
* ''
Zyuzicosa''
Logunov, 2010—Asia
Evolutionary history
Wolf spiders likely originated after the
K–Pg extinction event sometime in the late
Paleocene
The Paleocene, ( ) or Palaeocene, is a geological epoch (geology), epoch that lasted from about 66 to 56 mya (unit), million years ago (mya). It is the first epoch of the Paleogene Period (geology), Period in the modern Cenozoic Era (geology), E ...
, with most main subfamilies likely originating during the Eocene and Early Oligocene between 41 and 32 million years ago.
Habitats
Wolf spiders are found in a wide range of habitats both coastal and inland. These include shrublands, woodland, wet coastal forest, alpine meadows, suburban gardens, and homes. Spiderlings disperse aerially; consequently, wolf spiders have wide distributions. Although some species have very specific
microhabitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
needs (such as stream-side gravel beds or
montane
Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...
herb-fields), most are wanderers without permanent homes. Some build
burrow
An Eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of sh ...
s which can be left open or have a trap door (depending on species). Arid-zone species construct turrets or plug their holes with leaves and pebbles during the rainy season to protect themselves from flood waters. Often, they are found in man-made locations such as sheds and other outdoor equipment.
Mating behavior
![Wolf spider and egg sac](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Wolf_spider_and_egg_sac.jpg)
Many species of wolf spiders possess very complex courtship behaviors and secondary sexual characteristics, such as tufts of bristles on their legs or special colorations, which are most often found on the males of the species. These sexual characteristics vary by species and are most often found as modifications of the first pair of legs. First-leg modifications are often divided into elongated bristles on the legs, increased swelling of leg segments, or the full elongation of the first pair of legs compared to the other three pairs. Some mating behaviors are common between wolf spider genera, and many more that are species-specific. In the most commonly studied genus of wolf spiders, ''
Schizocosa'', researchers found that all males engage in a seismic component of their courtship display, either
stridulation
Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fish, snakes and spiders. The mech ...
, or drumming their fore legs on the ground, but some also dependent on visual cues in their courtship display, as well as the seismic signaling, such as waving the front two legs in the air in front of the female, concluding that some ''Schizocosa'' species rely on multimodal courtship behaviors.
The Lycosidae comprise mainly wandering spiders, and as such, population density and male-to-female sex ratio puts selective pressures on wolf spiders when finding mates. Female wolf spiders that have already mated are more likely to eat the next male that tries to mate with them than those that have not mated yet. Males that have already mated have a higher probability of successfully mating again, but females that have already mated have a lower probability of mating again.
In culture
South Carolina
)''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no)
, anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind"
, Former = Province of South Carolina
, seat = Columbia
, LargestCity = Charleston
, LargestMetro = ...
designated the Carolina wolf spider (''Hogna carolinensis'') as the official state spider in 2000 due to the efforts of Skyler B. Hutto, a third-grade student at Sheridan Elementary School in
Orangeburg.
At the time, South Carolina was the only U.S. state that recognized a state spider. In 2015, efforts began to name an official state spider for neighboring North Carolina.
Gallery
File:Wolf spider on white.jpg, Wolf spider with 3-inch spread
File:20071030 Wolf Spider Carrying Egg Sac (Masked).jpg, Female with egg sac
File:WolfSpider F withYoung.jpg, Female with juveniles
File:Wolf spider attack position.jpg, Burrowing wolf spider
File:CarolinaWolfSpider_02.jpg, ''Hogna carolinensis
''Hogna carolinensis'', commonly known as the Carolina wolf spider, is found across North America. It is the largest of the wolf spiders in North America, typically measuring at 18–20 mm for males and 22–35 mm for females.
The Caro ...
''
File:Spider NZ Anoteropsis aerescens.jpg, '' Anoteropsis aerescens''
File:Wolfspider on US quarters.jpg, ''Rabidosa rabida
''Rabidosa rabida'', also known as the rabid wolf spider, is a species of spiders from the family Wolf spider, Lycosidae, native to North America. In the United States it is found from Maine to Florida and west to Texas.
Description
The cephalo ...
''
See also
*
List of spiders associated with cutaneous reactions
A spider bite, also known as arachnidism, is an injury resulting from the bite of a spider. The effects of most bites are not serious. Most bites result in mild symptoms around the area of the bite. Rarely they may produce a necrotic skin wound ...
*
List of Lycosidae genera
Wolf spiders are members of the family Lycosidae (). They are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude, hunt alone, and do not spin webs. Some are opportunistic hunters, pouncing upon prey as they find it or ...
*
List of Lycosidae species
:''See also the List of Lycosidae genera, sorted by subfamilies.''
This page lists all described species of the spider family Lycosidae as of Dec. 29, 2013.
Acantholycosa
''Acantholycosa'' Dahl, 1908
* ''Acantholycosa aborigenica'' Zyuzin & Marus ...
References
Further reading
*Platnick, Norman I. (2008)
The world spider catalog version 8.5. ''American Museum of Natural History''.
External links
Wolf Spider WebsiteComprehensive site with info on a range of subject, from habitat, to life-cycle, to myths and facts about bites. Includes videos of Wolf Spiders in the wild and captivity (Accessed September 7, 2015
Archived Link
{{Authority control
Lycosidae