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 cm. Alopecosa females make a burrow in which they deposit their egg sac. The female then stays in the burrow guarding the sac until the eggs hatch.
Taxonomy
The species in this genus have been traditionally grouped into sibling species complexes (groups) based on morphological characters, but, as morphology-based taxonomy can be unreliable, alternative methods have also been employed to identify species correctly. For example, differences in observed courtship and copulation behaviour have proved to be a useful tool for species identification and delimitation, particularly in cryptic species. Molecular techniques have also been applied to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships between some species.
Species , the World Spider Catalog accepted the following species:
Alopecosa accentuata (Latreille, 1817) – Europe Alopecosa aculeata (Clerck, 1757) – North America, Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Iran, Central Asia, China, Japan Alopecosa akkolka Marusik, 1995 – Kazakhstan, China Alopecosa albofasciata (Brullé, 1832) – Mediterranean to Central Asia Alopecosa albonotata (Schmidt, 1895) – Russia (Middle Siberia) Alopecosa albostriata (Grube, 1861) – Russia (West to East Siberia, Far East) Alopecosa albovittata (Schmidt, 1895) – Russia (Middle Siberia) Alopecosa alpicola (Simon, 1876) – Spain, France, Italy, Russia (Europe), China, Caucasus?, Kazakhstan? Alopecosa andesiana (Berland, 1913) – Ecuador Alopecosa artenarensis Wunderlich, 1992 – Canary Is. Alopecosa atis Caporiacco, 1949 – Libya Alopecosa auripilosa (Schenkel, 1953) – Russia (Far East), China, Korea Alopecosa aurita Chen, Song & Kim, 2001 – China Alopecosa ayubaevorum Fomichev & Logunov, 2015 – Russia (Altai) Alopecosa azsheganovae Esyunin, 1996 – Russia (Europe to South Siberia) Alopecosa balinensis (Giltay, 1935) – Indonesia (Bali) Alopecosa beckeri (Thorell, 1875) – Ukraine Alopecosa camerunensis Roewer, 1960 – Cameroon Alopecosa canaricola Schmidt, 1982 – Canary Is. Alopecosa cedroensis Wunderlich, 1992 – Canary Is. Alopecosa chagyabensis Hu & Li, 1987 – China Alopecosa cinnameopilosa (Schenkel, 1963) – Kazakhstan, Russia (Central Asia to Far East), China, Korea, Japan Alopecosa cronebergi (Thorell, 1875) – Slovakia, Ukraine, Russia (Europe), Caucasus, Kazakhstan Alopecosa cuneata (Clerck, 1757) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Kazakhstan, China Alopecosa cursor (Hahn, 1831) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Iran, Central Asia, China Alopecosa cursorioides Charitonov, 1969 – Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan Alopecosa curtohirta Tang, Urita & Song, 1993 – China Alopecosa deserta Ponomarev, 2007 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa disca Tang, Yin & Yang, 1997 – China Alopecosa dryada Cordes, 1996 – Greece Alopecosa edax (Thorell, 1875) – Poland, China Alopecosa ermolaevi Savelyeva, 1972 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa etrusca Lugetti & Tongiorgi, 1969 – Italy, North Macedonia, Turkey Alopecosa exasperans (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877) – Canada, Greenland Alopecosa fabrilis (Clerck, 1757) (type species) – Europe, Turkey, Russia (Europe to Far East), Central Asia, China Alopecosa farinosa (Herman, 1879) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Kazakhstan, Iran? Alopecosa fedotovi (Charitonov, 1946) – Central Asia Alopecosa fuerteventurensis Wunderlich, 1992 – Canary Is. Alopecosa fulvastra Caporiacco, 1955 – Venezuela Alopecosa gachangensis Seo, 2017 – Korea Alopecosa garamantica (Caporiacco, 1936) – Libya Alopecosa gomerae (Strand, 1911) – Canary Is. Alopecosa gracilis (Bösenberg, 1895) – Canary Is. Alopecosa grancanariensis Wunderlich, 1992 – Canary Is. Alopecosa hamata (Schenkel, 1963) – China Alopecosa hermiguensis Wunderlich, 1992 – Canary Is. Alopecosa himalayaensis Hu, 2001 – China Alopecosa hingganica Tang, Urita & Song, 1993 – Mongolia, China Alopecosa hirta (Kulczyński, 1908) – Russia (north-eastern Siberia) Alopecosa hirtipes (Kulczyński, 1907) – Canada, USA (Alaska), Russia (Europe to Far East) Alopecosa hoevelsi Schmidt & Barensteiner, 2000 – China Alopecosa hokkaidensis Tanaka, 1985 – Russia (Far East), China, Japan Alopecosa huabanna Chen, Song & Gao, 2000 – China Alopecosa hui Chen, Song & Kim, 2001 – China Alopecosa inderensis Ponomarev, 2007 – Russia (Europe), Kazakhstan Alopecosa inimica (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885) – Tajikistan Alopecosa inquilina (Clerck, 1757) – Europe, Russia (Europe to Far East), Kazakhstan Alopecosa irinae Lobanova, 1978 – Russia (South Siberia) Alopecosa kalahariana Roewer, 1960 – Botswana Alopecosa kalavrita Buchar, 2001 – Greece Alopecosa kaplanovi Oliger, 1983 – Russia (Far East) Alopecosa kasakhstanica Savelyeva, 1972 – Russia (West to South Siberia, Central Asia), Kazakhstan Alopecosa kochi (Keyserling, 1877) – North America Alopecosa koponeni Blagoev & Dondale, 2014 – Canada Alopecosa kovblyuki Nadolny & Ponomarev, 2012 – Ukraine, Russia (Europe, West Siberia), Kazakhstan Alopecosa kratochvili (Schenkel, 1963) – China Alopecosa krynickii (Thorell, 1875) – Ukraine (Crimea) Alopecosa kulczynski Sternbergs, 1979 – Russia (Middle Siberia to Far East) Alopecosa kulczynskii (Bösenberg, 1895) – Canary Is. Alopecosa kulsaryensis Ponomarev, 2012 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa kungurica Esyunin, 1996 – Russia (Europe) Alopecosa kuntzi Denis, 1953 – Italy (Sicily), Turkey, Russia (Caucasus), Yemen Alopecosa laciniosa (Simon, 1876) – Spain, France Alopecosa lallemandi (Berland, 1913) – Ecuador Alopecosa latifasciata (Kroneberg, 1875) – Central Asia Alopecosa leonhardii (Strand, 1913) – Australia (Central) Alopecosa lessertiana Brignoli, 1983 – China Alopecosa licenti (Schenkel, 1953) – Russia (South Siberia, Far East), Mongolia, China, Korea Alopecosa lindbergi Roewer, 1960 – Afghanistan Alopecosa linzhan Chen & Song, 2003 – China Alopecosa litvinovi Izmailova, 1989 – Russia (South Siberia) Alopecosa longicymbia Savelyeva, 1972 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa madigani (Hickman, 1944) – Australia (Northern Territory) Alopecosa mariae (Dahl, 1908) – Italy, Central Europe to Ukraine and south-eastern Europe, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), China Alopecosa marikovskyi Logunov, 2013 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa medvedevi Ponomarev, 2009 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa michaelseni (Simon, 1902) – Chile Alopecosa mikhailovi Omelko, Marusik & Koponen, 2013 – Russia (Sakhalin) Alopecosa moesta (Holmberg, 1876) – Argentina Alopecosa mojonia (Mello-Leitão, 1941) – Argentina Alopecosa moriutii Tanaka, 1985 – Russia (Far East), Korea, Japan Alopecosa mutabilis (Kulczyński, 1908) – Russia (Europe to East Siberia), USA (Alaska) Alopecosa nagpag Chen, Song & Kim, 2001 – China Alopecosa nemurensis (Strand, 1907) – Japan Alopecosa nigricans (Simon, 1886) – Argentina, Falkland Is. Alopecosa nitidus Hu, 2001 – China Alopecosa notabilis (Schmidt, 1895) – Kazakhstan Alopecosa nybelini Roewer, 1960 – Afghanistan Alopecosa oahuensis (Keyserling, 1890) – Hawaii Alopecosa obscura Schmidt, 1980 – Canary Is. Alopecosa obsoleta (C. L. Koch, 1847) – Turkmenistan Alopecosa ogorodica Trilikauskas & Azarkina, 2014 – Russia (Altai) Alopecosa orbisaca Peng, Yin, Zhang & Kim, 1997 – China Alopecosa orophila (Thorell, 1887) – Myanmar Alopecosa orotavensis (Strand, 1916) – Canary Is. Alopecosa osa Marusik, Hippa & Koponen, 1996 – Russia (South Siberia) Alopecosa osellai Lugetti & Tongiorgi, 1969 – Spain Alopecosa ovalis Chen, Song & Gao, 2000 – China Alopecosa palmae Schmidt, 1982 – Canary Is. Alopecosa passibilis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1885) – China Alopecosa pelusiaca (Audouin, 1826) – North Africa Alopecosa pentheri (Nosek, 1905) – Italy, south-eastern Europe, Ukraine, Turkey, Caucasus (Russia, Azerbaijan) Alopecosa pictilis (Emerton, 1885) – North America, Russia (South and north-eastern Siberia, Far East) Alopecosa pinetorum (Thorell, 1856) – Europe, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia) Alopecosa psammophila Buchar, 2001 – Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania Alopecosa pseudocuneata (Schenkel, 1953) – China Alopecosa pulverulenta (Clerck, 1757) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Kazakhstan, Iran, China, Korea, Japan Alopecosa pulverulenta tridentina (Thorell, 1875) – Austria Alopecosa raddei (Simon, 1889) – Central Asia Alopecosa rapa (Karsch, 1881) – Kiribati (Gilbert Is.) Alopecosa restricta Mello-Leitão, 1940 – Argentina Alopecosa rosea Mello-Leitão, 1945 – Argentina Alopecosa saurica Marusik, 1995 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa schmidti (Hahn, 1835) – Sweden, Central to eastern and south-eastern Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Kazakhstan, Iran Alopecosa sciophila Ponomarev, 2008 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa sibirica (Kulczyński, 1908) – Russia (Middle Siberia to Far East), Mongolia, China Alopecosa simoni (Thorell, 1872) – Mediterranean Alopecosa sokhondoensis Logunov & Marusik, 1995 – Russia (Middle and South Siberia) Alopecosa solitaria (Herman, 1879) – Italy, Central to south-eastern and eastern Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Kazakhstan Alopecosa solivaga (Kulczyński, 1901) – Russia (Europe, Siberia, Far East), Mongolia, China Alopecosa solivaga annulata (Kulczyński, 1916) – Russia (West Siberia) Alopecosa solivaga borea (Kulczyński, 1908) – Russia (Middle Siberia) Alopecosa solivaga katunjica (Ermolajev, 1937) – Russia (Altai) Alopecosa solivaga lineata (Kulczyński, 1916) – Russia (West Siberia) Alopecosa spasskyi Ponomarev, 2008 – Russia (Europe), Kazakhstan Alopecosa spinata Yu & Song, 1988 – China Alopecosa steppica Ponomarev, 2007 – Ukraine, Russia (Europe), Kazakhstan Alopecosa striatipes (C. L. Koch, 1839) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus Alopecosa sublimbata Roewer, 1960 – Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) Alopecosa subrufa (Schenkel, 1963) – Russia (South Siberia), Mongolia, China Alopecosa subsolitaria Savelyeva, 1972 – Kazakhstan Alopecosa subvalida Guy, 1966 – Morocco Alopecosa sulzeri (Pavesi, 1873) – Europe, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Kazakhstan Alopecosa taeniata (C. L. Koch, 1835) – Europe, Russia (Europe to South Siberia) Alopecosa taeniopus (Kulczyński, 1895) – Greece to China Alopecosa tanakai Omelko & Marusik, 2008 – Russia (Far East) Alopecosa thaleri Hepner & Paulus, 2007 – Canary Is. Alopecosa trabalis (Clerck, 1757) – Europe, Turkey, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Kazakhstan, Iran, Central Asia Alopecosa tunetana Roewer, 1960 – Tunisia Alopecosa upembania Roewer, 1960 – Congo Alopecosa valida (Lucas, 1846) – Morocco, Algeria Alopecosa virgata (Kishida, 1910) – Russia (Far East), Korea, Japan Alopecosa volubilis Yoo, Kim & Tanaka, 2004 – Russia (Far East), Korea, Japan Alopecosa wenxianensis Tang, Yin & Yang, 1997 – China Alopecosa werneri (Roewer, 1960) – Algeria Alopecosa xiningensis Hu, 2001 – China Alopecosa xinjiangensis Hu & Wu, 1989 – Mongolia, China Alopecosa xuelin Tang & Zhang, 2004 – China Alopecosa yamalensis Esyunin, 1996 – Russia (Europe, West Siberia) Alopecosa zyuzini Logunov & Marusik, 1995 – Russia (South Siberia), Mongolia
Dubious names
Nomina dubia (dubious names) include: Alopecosa reimoseri (Kolosváry, 1934) Alopecosa strandi (Roșca, 1936)
Distribution and habitat The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution. The majority of species are native to Eurasia, although some species occur in Africa, and others are found in North and South America. Alopecosa fabrilis is a critically endangered species found in Britain, with examples rediscovered in 2020 in the south of the country. They favor dry climates.
References
External links
Picture of A. accentuata Chen, Jun; Song, Da-Xiang & Gao, Jiu-Chun (2000), "Two new species of the genus Alopecosa Simon (Araneae: Lycosidae) from Inner Mongolia, China", Zoological Studies 39(2): 133–137, PDF