Atypus, also called purseweb spiders, is a genus of atypical tarantulas first described by Pierre André Latreille in 1804. It occurs in Eurasia, with one species (A. affinis) reaching into North Africa. Only three of the described species occur in Europe: A. piceus, A. affinis, and A. muralis. Specimens from the USA formerly known as A. snetsingeri represent an introduced population of A. karschi.
Identification features They are three-clawed, medium to large spiders with eight eyes. They have six spinnerets with the median spinneret truncated. The prolateral sides of the maxillae are elongated. The cephalic side of the cephalothorax is elevated. They have large chelicerae with long and thin fangs. The male sternum has marginal ridges.
Medical usage The cobwebs produced by spiders in the genus Atypus, called Huidouba, have traditionally been consumed in Sichuan and Tibet to manage the symptoms of diabetes. Several studies have corroborated their therapeutic effects.
Peasants in the southern Carpathian Mountains used to cut up tubes built by Atypus and cover wounds with the inner lining. It reportedly facilitated healing and even connected with the skin. This is believed to be due to antiseptic properties of spider silk (which is made of protein). Atypus cobwebs have also been used in Sichuan and Tibet to manage the symptoms of diabetes.
Species , this genus includes 38 species:
Atypus affinis Eichwald, 1830 – Europe (Britain and Portugal to Ukraine), North Africa Atypus baotianmanensis Hu, 1994 – China Atypus baotingensis F. Li, Xu, Z. T. Zhang, Liu, H. L. Zhang & D. Q. Li, 2018 – China (Hainan) Atypus coreanus Kim, 1985 – Korea Atypus dawei Y. X. Li & Xu, 2025 – China Atypus dorsualis Thorell, 1897 – Myanmar, Thailand Atypus flexus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China Atypus formosensis Kishida, 1943 – Taiwan Atypus heterothecus Zhang, 1985 – China Atypus javanus Thorell, 1890 – Indonesia (Java) Atypus jianfengensis F. Li, Xu, Z. T. Zhang, Liu, H. L. Zhang & D. Q. Li, 2018 – China (Hainan) Atypus karschi Dönitz, 1887 – Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan. Introduced to United States Atypus lannaianus Schwendinger, 1989 – Thailand Atypus largosaccatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China Atypus ledongensis Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China Atypus liui Y. X. Li & Xu, 2025 – China Atypus magnus Namkung, 1986 – Russia (Far East), Korea Atypus medius Oliger, 1999 – Russia (Far East) Atypus minutus S. Y. Lee, J. H. Lee, Yoo & Kim, 2015 – Korea Atypus muralis Bertkau, 1890 – Central Europe to Turkmenistan Atypus pedicellatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China Atypus piceus (Sulzer, 1776) – Europe (France to Russia), Iran (type species) Atypus quelpartensis Namkung, 2002 – Korea Atypus sacculatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China Atypus seogwipoensis Kim, Ye & Noh, 2015 – Korea Atypus sinensis Schenkel, 1953 – China Atypus siyiensis Wu, Liu, Huang, Yin & Xu, 2025 – China Atypus sternosulcus Kim, Kim, Jung & Lee, 2006 – Korea Atypus suiningensis Zhang, 1985 – China Atypus suthepicus Schwendinger, 1989 – Thailand Atypus sutherlandi Chennappaiya, 1935 – India Atypus suwonensis Kim, Kim, Jung & Lee, 2006 – Korea Atypus tibetensis Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China Atypus wataribabaorum Tanikawa, 2006 – Japan Atypus wii Siliwal, Kumar & Raven, 2014 – India Atypus yajuni Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China Atypus yanjingensis Wu, Liu, Huang, Yin & Xu, 2025 – China Atypus yaozu Wu, Liu, Huang, Yin & Xu, 2025 – China
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