Arctosa is a genus of wolf spiders first described by Carl Ludwig Koch in 1847, with more than 150 described species.
Life style Arctosa species are swift runners with relatively keen eyesight. Most species inhabit sandy places such as seashores or the banks of rivers and lakes, though some occupy heath or lichen habitats in high mountains. The principal body colors are gray, off-white, and tawny brown, matching their habitat.
Description
Arctosa species are medium-sized wolf spiders with a total length ranging from 4.5 to 16.0 mm.
The carapace is broad and rather low, with relatively uniform height between the dorsal groove and posterior row of eyes. The carapace is usually glabrous or nearly so, colored yellow, off-white, or mottled with gray, yellow, or brown.
The anterior row of eyes may be straight, somewhat procurved, or recurved, and varies in length relative to the middle row. The promargin of the fang furrow bears two or three teeth, while the retromargin has three teeth. The abdomen is usually pale and mottled similar to the carapace.
The legs are usually pale and robust with dark bands, lightly scopulate. Tibia III bears two dorsal macrosetae or one plus a basal bristle, along with one to three retrolateral macrosetae. The trochanters are usually deeply notched at the tip on the ventral surface.
The terminal apophysis of the male pedipalp is conspicuous and occurs in two parts or in one part of two different shapes and degrees of sclerotization. The embolus is straight or curved and largely hidden by the median apophysis in ventral view. The epigyne of females usually has a conspicuous atrium divided by a median septum and lacks a hood.
Females usually attend their eggs in silk-lined burrows rather than carrying them about, and most species appear to be nocturnal.
Taxonomy The numerous African Arctosa species require revision.
Species , this genus includes 166 species and two subspecies. These species have articles on Wikipedia:
Arctosa albida (Simon, 1898) – South Africa Arctosa alpigena (Doleschall, 1852) – North America, Greenland, Europe, Russia (Europe to Far East) A. a. lamperti Dahl, 1908 – France, central and northern Europe, Baltic states, Romania, Russia (Europe) Arctosa brevispina (Lessert, 1915) – Tanzania, South Africa Arctosa capensis Roewer, 1960 – South Africa Arctosa chungjooensis Paik, 1994 – Korea Arctosa cinerea (Fabricius, 1777) – Europe, North Africa, Congo, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Middle East, Kazakhstan, China, Korea, Japan (type species) Arctosa coreana Paik, 1994 – Korea Arctosa emertoni Gertsch, 1934 – Canada, United States Arctosa excellens (Simon, 1876) – Portugal, Spain Arctosa figurata (Simon, 1876) – Europe, Caucasus Arctosa fulvolineata (Lucas, 1846) – Britain, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, North Africa, Turkey Arctosa hallasanensis South Korea Arctosa keumjeungsana Russia Arctosa lawrencei (Roewer, 1960) – South Africa Arctosa leopardus (Sundevall, 1833) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Iran, Central Asia Arctosa lightfooti (Purcell, 1903) – South Africa Arctosa littoralis (Hentz, 1844) – Canada to Panama Arctosa nivosa (Purcell, 1903) – South Africa Arctosa oneili (Purcell, 1903) – South Africa Arctosa pargongensis Arctosa pungcheunensis Arctosa perita (Latreille, 1799) – Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran. Introduced to Canada Arctosa promontorii (Pocock, 1900) – South Africa Arctosa raptor (Kulczyński, 1885) – Nepal, Russia (Kamchatka), Alaska, Canada, United States Arctosa rubicunda (Keyserling, 1877) – Canada, United States Arctosa sanctaerosae Gertsch & Wallace, 1935 – United States Arctosa similis Schenkel, 1938 – Canary Is. to Cyprus, Iraq, Iran Arctosa stigmosa (Thorell, 1875) – France and Norway to Russia (West Siberia), Turkey, Iran Arctosa tbilisiensis Mcheidze, 1946 – Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Caucasus (Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan), Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan Arctosa tenuissima (Purcell, 1903) – South Africa Arctosa transvaalana Roewer, 1960 – South Africa Arctosa virgo (Chamberlin, 1925) – United States
Arctosa albida (Simon, 1898) – South Africa Arctosa albopellita (L. Koch, 1875) – Ethiopia Arctosa algerina Roewer, 1960 – Algeria Arctosa aliusmodi (Karsch, 1880) – Polynesia Arctosa alluaudi Guy, 1966 – Morocco Arctosa alpigena (Doleschall, 1852) – North America, Greenland, Europe, Russia (Europe to Far East) A. a. lamperti Dahl, 1908 – France, central and northern Europe, Baltic states, Romania, Russia (Europe) Arctosa amylaceoides (Schenkel, 1936) – China Arctosa annulipes (L. Koch, 1875) – Libya, Egypt, Ethiopia Arctosa astuta (Gerstaecker, 1873) – Central Africa Arctosa atriannulipes (Strand, 1906) – Ethiopia Arctosa ayaymama Paredes-Munguía, Brescovit & Teixeira, 2024 – Colombia, Peru Arctosa bacchabunda (Karsch, 1884) – São Tomé and Príncipe Arctosa bakva (Roewer, 1960) – Afghanistan Arctosa bamiana (Roewer, 1960) – Iran, Afghanistan Arctosa berlandi (Caporiacco, 1949) – Kenya Arctosa bicoloripes (Roewer, 1960) – Rwanda Arctosa biseriata Roewer, 1960 – DR Congo Arctosa brauni (Strand, 1916) – East Africa Arctosa brevispina (Lessert, 1915) – Tanzania, South Africa Arctosa camerunensis Roewer, 1960 – Cameroon Arctosa capensis Roewer, 1960 – South Africa Arctosa cervina Schenkel, 1936 – Kazakhstan, China, Japan Arctosa chungjooensis Paik, 1994 – Korea Arctosa cinerea (Fabricius, 1777) – Europe, North Africa, Congo, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Middle East, Kazakhstan, China, Korea, Japan (type species) Arctosa conflicta Paredes-Munguía, Brescovit & Teixeira, 2024 – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru Arctosa coreana Paik, 1994 – Korea Arctosa costenola Paredes-Munguía, Brescovit & Teixeira, 2024 – Colombia Arctosa daisetsuzana (Saito, 1934) – Japan Arctosa darountaha Roewer, 1960 – Afghanistan Arctosa delaportei Omelko & Marusik, 2022 – Laos Arctosa denticulata Jiménez & Dondale, 1984 – Mexico Arctosa depectinata (Bösenberg & Strand, 1906) – Japan, China, Laos Arctosa depuncta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1876) – Libya, Egypt Arctosa deserta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) – Syria Arctosa dhikala Sankaran & Caleb, 2023 – India Arctosa dissonans (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) – Syria, Lebanon, Israel Arctosa ebicha Yaginuma, 1960 – Russia (Far East), China, Korea, Japan Arctosa edeana Roewer, 1960 – Cameroon Arctosa emertoni Gertsch, 1934 – Canada, United States Arctosa ephippiata Roewer, 1960 – Cameroon Arctosa epiana (Berland, 1938) – Vanuatu Arctosa erythraeana Roewer, 1960 – Ethiopia Arctosa excellens (Simon, 1876) – Portugal, Spain Arctosa fessana Roewer, 1960 – Libya Arctosa figurata (Simon, 1876) – Europe, Caucasus Arctosa formosa Zamani & Marusik, 2026 – United Arab Emirates Arctosa frequentissima Caporiacco, 1947 – Central, East Africa Arctosa fulvolineata (Lucas, 1846) – Britain, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, North Africa, Turkey Arctosa gougu Chen & Song, 1999 – China Arctosa hainan Wang, Li & Zhang, 2021 – China (Hainan) Arctosa hallasanensis Paik, 1994 – Korea Arctosa harraria Roewer, 1960 – Ethiopia Arctosa himalayensis Tikader & Malhotra, 1980 – India Arctosa hottentotta Roewer, 1960 – Namibia Arctosa hunanensis Yin, Peng & Bao, 1997 – China Arctosa indica Tikader & Malhotra, 1980 – India, China? Arctosa insignita (Thorell, 1872) – Russia (Far East), Alaska, Canada, United States, Greenland Arctosa intricaria (C. L. Koch, 1847) – Mediterranean Arctosa ipsa (Karsch, 1879) – Russia (Far East), Korea, Japan Arctosa janetscheki Buchar, 1976 – Nepal Arctosa jibarosa Paredes-Munguía, Brescovit & Teixeira, 2024 – Colombia, Ecuador, Peru Arctosa kadjahkaia Roewer, 1960 – Afghanistan Arctosa kalpiensis (Gajbe, 2004) – India Arctosa kansuensis (Schenkel, 1936) – China Arctosa kassenjea (Strand, 1913) – DR Congo Arctosa kawabe Tanaka, 1985 – Japan, Russia (Sakhalin), Korea? Arctosa kazibana Roewer, 1960 – Congo Arctosa keniana (Roewer, 1960) – DR Congo Arctosa keumjeungsana Paik, 1994 – Russia (Far East), Korea Arctosa khudiensis (Sinha, 1951) – India, China Arctosa kiangsiensis (Schenkel, 1963) – China, Laos Arctosa kirkiana (Strand, 1913) – Ethiopia, DR Congo, Uganda Arctosa kiwuana (Strand, 1913) – DR Congo Arctosa kolosvaryi (Caporiacco, 1947) – Ethiopia Arctosa labiata Tso & Chen, 2004 – Korea, Taiwan Arctosa laccophila (Simon, 1909) – Guinea-Bissau Arctosa lacupemba (Roewer, 1960) – Congo Arctosa lacustris (Simon, 1876) – Canary Islands, Morocco to Libya, Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta Arctosa lagodechiensis Mcheidze, 1997 – Georgia Arctosa lama Dondale & Redner, 1983 – Canada, United States Arctosa laminata Yu & Song, 1988 – China, Japan Arctosa lawrencei (Roewer, 1960) – South Africa Arctosa leaeniformis (Simon, 1910) – Botswana Arctosa leopardus (Sundevall, 1833) – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to South Siberia), Iran, Central Asia Arctosa lesserti Reimoser, 1934 – India Arctosa letourneuxi (Simon, 1885) – Morocco to Tunisia Arctosa lightfooti (Purcell, 1903) – South Africa Arctosa litigiosa Roewer, 1960 – Congo, Tanzania Arctosa littoralis (Hentz, 1844) – Canada to Panama Arctosa liujiapingensis Yin, Peng, Xie, Bao & Wang, 1997 – China Arctosa lutetiana (Simon, 1876) – Europe, Russia (Europe to South Siberia) Arctosa maculata (Hahn, 1822) – Europe, Turkey, Iran Arctosa marfieldi Roewer, 1960 – Cameroon Arctosa marocensis Roewer, 1960 – Morocco Arctosa meinerti (Thorell, 1875) – Algeria Arctosa meitanensis Yin, Wang, Xie & Peng, 1993 – Russia (South Siberia), China Arctosa mineira Paredes-Munguía, Brescovit & Teixeira, 2024 – Brazil Arctosa mittensa Yin, Wang, Xie & Peng, 1993 – China Arctosa mossambica Roewer, 1960 – Mozambique Arctosa mulani (Dyal, 1935) – Pakistan Arctosa niccensis (Strand, 1907) – Japan Arctosa nivosa (Purcell, 1903) – South Africa Arctosa nonsignata Roewer, 1960 – DR Congo Arctosa nyembeensis (Strand, 1916) – Kenya, Tanzania Arctosa obscura Denis, 1953 – Yemen Arctosa oneili (Purcell, 1903) – South Africa Arctosa otaviensis Roewer, 1960 – Namibia Arctosa pacaya Paredes-Munguía, Brescovit & Teixeira, 2024 – Peru Arctosa pardosina (Simon, 1898) – Uzbekistan Arctosa pargongensis Paik, 1994 – Korea Arctosa pelengea Roewer, 1960 – DR Congo Arctosa perita (Latreille, 1799) – Europe, North Africa, Turkey, Caucasus, Iran. Introduced to Canada A. p. arenicola (Simon, 1937) – France Arctosa personata (L. Koch, 1872) – Portugal, Spain, France, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia Arctosa pichoni Schenkel, 1963 – China Arctosa poecila Caporiacco, 1939 – Ethiopia Arctosa politana Roewer, 1960 – Ethiopia Arctosa promontorii (Pocock, 1900) – South Africa Arctosa pseudoleopardus Ponomarev, 2007 – Russia (Europe), Kazakhstan Arctosa pungcheunensis Paik, 1994 – Korea Arctosa quadripunctata (Lucas, 1846) – North Africa Arctosa raptor (Kulczyński, 1885) – Nepal, Russia (Kamchatka), Alaska, Canada, United States Arctosa ravida Ponomarev, 2007 – Russia (Caucasus), Kazakhstan Arctosa recurva Yu & Song, 1988 – China Arctosa renidescens Buchar & Thaler, 1995 – Alps (France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria) Arctosa ripaecola (Roewer, 1960) – Tanzania Arctosa rubicunda (Keyserling, 1877) – Canada, United States Arctosa rufescens Roewer, 1960 – Cameroon Arctosa sanctaerosae Gertsch & Wallace, 1935 – United States Arctosa sapiranga Silva & Lise, 2009 – Brazil, Argentina Arctosa schensiensis Schenkel, 1963 – China Arctosa scopulitibiis (Strand, 1906) – Ethiopia Arctosa serii Roth & Brown, 1976 – Mexico Arctosa serrulata Mao & Song, 1985 – China Arctosa similis Schenkel, 1938 – Canary Is. to Cyprus, Iraq, Iran Arctosa simoni Guy, 1966 – Turkey Arctosa sjostedti Roewer, 1960 – Tanzania Arctosa sordulenta (Thorell, 1899) – Cameroon Arctosa springiosa Yin, Wang, Xie & Peng, 1993 – China, Laos