Tricholathys
Chamberlin & Ivie, 1935
Species Guides
1Tricholathys is a of cribellate araneomorph spiders first described in 1935. are medium-sized (3.0–8.0 mm) with distinctive abdominal patterning including a cardiac mark and black V-shaped markings. The genus shows high regional , with most species restricted to China or North America. Reproductive structures are taxonomically diagnostic: males possess a broad retrolateral tibial and a conductor with two specialized arms, while females have cochleate copulatory openings and sclerotized copulatory ducts forming nearly complete circles.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Tricholathys: /ˌtrɪkoʊˈlæθɪs/
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Identification
Distinguished from related by male palp : broad retrolateral tibial and conductor with tapering arm and spiral arm. Female epigyne characterized by cochleate (spiral, snail-shell-shaped) copulatory openings and sclerotized copulatory ducts that form almost complete circular loops. Body size ranges 3.0–8.0 mm. brown to dark brown. oval with cardiac mark and black V-shaped markings dorsally.
Habitat
High-elevation environments, often near rivers or at the snow line. Constructs small mesh-webs under stones.
Distribution
Nearctic region (North America), eastern Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan), western and northern China (Tibet, Qinghai, Hebei, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia), and Northern Caucasus.
Behavior
Builds small mesh-webs under stones in high-elevation .
Similar Taxa
More Details
Taxonomic history
Originally placed in Argyronetidae by some sources, but currently accepted in Dictynidae. placement has been subject to revision.
Species diversity
Twenty recognized as of October 2025, with seven described from China in 2023 based on the first confirmed records of the from that country.
DNA barcoding
barcode sequences have been published for four recently collected Chinese , supporting species-level identifications.