Lycosidae
Guides
Pardosa uintana
Pardosa uintana is a species of thin-legged wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, described by Gertsch in 1933. Like other members of the genus Pardosa, it is characterized by long spines on the legs that are nearly perpendicular to the leg axis. The species occurs in western North America, with records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. As with most Pardosa species, identification to species level requires microscopic examination of genitalia.
Pardosa vadosa
thin-legged wolf spider
Pardosa vadosa is a species of thin-legged wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, first described by Barnes in 1959. As a member of the genus Pardosa, it shares the characteristic long, perpendicular leg spines that distinguish this group from other wolf spiders. The species occurs in the United States and Mexico. Like other Pardosa species, it is likely ground-dwelling and associated with varied terrestrial habitats, though specific ecological details for this species remain limited.
Pardosa wyuta
Wyuta Wolf Spider
Pardosa wyuta is a species of thin-legged wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, first described by Gertsch in 1934. Like other members of the genus Pardosa, it is a small to medium-sized active hunter with characteristic long spines on its legs. The species occurs in western North America, with records from Alberta and British Columbia in Canada. As with most Pardosa species, identification to species level requires microscopic examination of genitalia.
Pardosa xerampelina
Ubiquitous Thin-legged Wolf Spider
Pardosa xerampelina is a small to medium-sized wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, commonly known as the Ubiquitous Thin-legged Wolf Spider. The species is widely distributed across North America, occurring throughout the United States and Canada including Alberta and British Columbia. As a member of the genus Pardosa, it shares the characteristic long, perpendicular leg spines that distinguish thin-legged wolf spiders from other lycosids. The species epithet "xerampelina" derives from Greek roots referring to color change, possibly alluding to seasonal or individual variation in appearance.
Pardosa yavapa
Pardosa yavapa is a species of thin-legged wolf spider in the family Lycosidae. It belongs to the genus Pardosa, a diverse and abundant group of small to medium-sized wolf spiders characterized by their distinctive leg spination. The species was described by Chamberlin in 1925 and is known from the United States. As with other Pardosa species, microscopic examination of genitalia is required for definitive species identification.
Pirata
pirate wolf spiders
Pirata is a genus of wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) commonly known as pirate wolf spiders. These spiders are characterized by their association with moist habitats and distinctive eye arrangement typical of lycosids. The genus was established by Sundevall in 1833 and contains multiple species distributed across North America and Eurasia. Pirata species are active hunters that do not build permanent webs for prey capture.
Pirata alachuus
Pirata alachuus is a wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae, first described by Gertsch and Wallace in 1935. The species is known only from the United States, with records indicating presence in North America. Like other Pirata species, it belongs to a genus of wolf spiders often associated with moist habitats near water.
Pirata montanoides
Pirata montanoides is a wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae, first described by Nathan Banks in 1892. The species is known from the United States, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain sparse. Like other members of the genus Pirata, it is likely associated with moist or semi-aquatic habitats, as this genus is known for its affinity for wet environments.
Pirata sedentarius
Pirata sedentarius is a wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae, first described by Montgomery in 1904. The species is distributed across North America and the Greater Antilles. Like other members of the genus Pirata, it is associated with semi-aquatic and moist habitats. The specific epithet "sedentarius" suggests relatively stationary behavior compared to more nomadic wolf spider species.
Piratula
Piratula is a genus of wolf spiders (Lycosidae) established by Roewer in 1960. The genus comprises 26 recognized species distributed primarily across Asia, with additional species in Europe and North America. Species inhabit diverse habitats from wetlands to montane regions.
Piratula canadensis
Piratula canadensis is a wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, originally described from Canada. The species occurs in boreal and montane regions of North America and has also been recorded from the Russian Far East including Kamchatka. As a member of the genus Piratula, it is associated with moist habitats near water bodies.
Piratula cantralli
Cantrall's Wolf Spider
Piratula cantralli is a species of wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, originally described as Pirata cantralli by Wallace and Exline in 1978. The species is known from the northern United States and Canada, with records from Alberta and Manitoba. It belongs to the genus Piratula, which comprises semi-aquatic wolf spiders often found in association with wetlands and riparian habitats. This species is rarely recorded, with only six observations documented on iNaturalist.
Piratula insularis
Lonely Wolf Spider
Piratula insularis is a wolf spider (family Lycosidae) found across northern regions of North America and Eurasia. First described by Emerton in 1885 under the name Pirata insularis, this species has since been reclassified to the genus Piratula. The species epithet "insularis" (meaning "of islands") likely refers to its occurrence on islands or isolated habitats, though the original description context is not preserved in available sources. It is one of several species in the genus Piratula, which comprises small to medium-sized wolf spiders often associated with wetland and riparian habitats.
Rabidosa hentzi
Rabidosa hentzi is a small wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae, found in the southeastern United States. It is distinguished from congeners by its pale coloration and a distinct narrow yellow to white stripe on the dorsal surface. The species is primarily ground-dwelling but possesses scopula hairs on the tarsi and metatarsi that enable occasional climbing into shrubs and vegetation. It is the only wolf spider known to regularly climb higher vegetation in open woodland habitats.
Rabidosa punctulata
Dotted Wolf Spider
Rabidosa punctulata is a ground-dwelling wolf spider distributed across the eastern and central United States. Mature females average 15.2 mm in body length, males 12.8 mm. The species exhibits distinctive alternative male mating tactics: complex multimodal courtship displays with substrate-borne vibrations and visual leg waves toward unmated females, versus direct coercive mounting with grappling toward already-mated females. Females carry egg sacs attached to their spinnerets and provide extended maternal care, with spiderlings riding on the mother's abdomen for approximately three weeks after emergence.
Rabidosa santrita
Santa Rita Wolf Spider
Rabidosa santrita is a species of wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, found in the United States and Mexico. It is a known host for the spider wasp Anoplius aethiops, which paralyzes and provisions it as food for its larvae. The species belongs to a genus of large, ground-dwelling wolf spiders that exhibit maternal care by carrying egg sacs and spiderlings.
Schizocosa aulonia
Schizocosa aulonia is a wolf spider species described by Dondale in 1969 from the Great Lakes region. It is closely associated with beach and sand dune habitats in northeastern Illinois. The species resembles S. retrorsa, with which it shares morphological similarities.
Schizocosa bilineata
Schizocosa bilineata is a species of wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, distributed across the United States and Canada. The species has been the subject of specific research on courtship and mating behavior, distinguishing it from many other lycosids that remain behaviorally unstudied. As a ground-dwelling hunter, it occupies open habitats typical of wolf spiders in temperate North America.
Schizocosa crassipalpata
Schizocosa crassipalpata is a species of wolf spider (family Lycosidae) described by Roewer in 1951. It belongs to the genus Schizocosa, which comprises medium-sized wolf spiders often recognized by their distinct dorsal color patterns. The species is known from the United States and Canada, though specific details about its biology remain limited in published literature. It has been documented as a host for the mantidfly Climaciella brunnea, whose larvae parasitize wolf spider egg sacs.
Schizocosa crassipes
A wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae, found in the United States. Males perform complex courtship displays involving visual signals and substrate vibration. The species exhibits an "edge effect" tendency to aggregate at forest-field interfaces. It has been documented as a host for mantisfly larvae (Climaciella brunnea), which parasitize spider egg sacs.
Schizocosa maxima
Schizocosa mimula
A wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, Schizocosa mimula is a ground-dwelling species found in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Like other members of its genus, it likely exhibits typical lycosid behaviors including active hunting without webs and maternal care of egg sacs. The species was described by Gertsch in 1934 and remains poorly documented in scientific literature.
Schizocosa minnesotensis
Schizocosa minnesotensis is a wolf spider species in the family Lycosidae. It occurs in the United States and Canada, with confirmed records from Alberta and British Columbia. As a member of the genus Schizocosa, it is a ground-dwelling active hunter. The species has been documented as a host for the mantidfly Climaciella brunnea, whose larvae board female spiders and feed on their egg sac contents.
Sosippus placidus
Lake Placid Funnel Wolf Spider
Sosippus placidus is a web-building wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, endemic to the United States. Unlike most wolf spiders, which are nomadic hunters, this species constructs thick sheet-like webs with funnel-like retreats. It is described as a habitat specialist compared to its widespread congener Sosippus floridanus. The species is known from relatively few observations (31 records on iNaturalist as of source date), suggesting restricted distribution or specific habitat requirements.
Sosippus texanus
Sosippus texanus is a species of funnel-web wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, distinguished from typical wolf spiders by its web-building behavior. Unlike the nomadic hunting behavior of most lycosids, this species constructs sheet-like webs with funnel-shaped retreats. It is one of six Sosippus species occurring in the United States and has been documented as a host for the mantisfly Mantispa sayi.
Tigrosa grandis
Tigrosa grandis is a species of wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, endemic to the United States. The species was originally described by Nathan Banks in 1894. It occurs across a broad central swath of the country, from the northern plains south to Texas. As a member of the wolf spider family, it is an active ground-dwelling hunter that does not build webs to capture prey.
Trabeops aurantiacus
Trabeops aurantiacus is a wolf spider (family Lycosidae) and the sole species in the genus Trabeops. First described by Emerton in 1885 and later placed in its own genus by Roewer in 1959, this spider occurs in the United States and Canada. It represents a monotypic genus within the diverse wolf spider family.
Trebacosa marxi
Marx pirate spider
Trebacosa marxi is a wolf spider in the family Lycosidae, described by Stone in 1890. The species occurs in North America, with confirmed records from the United States and Canada. As a member of the genus Trebacosa, it belongs to a group of medium-sized wolf spiders. Limited detailed information is available regarding its specific biology and ecology.
Trochosa abdita
Trochosa abdita is a wolf spider (family Lycosidae) described by Gertsch in 1934. It belongs to the genus Trochosa, a group of ground-dwelling hunting spiders characterized by their distinctive eye arrangement. The species is known only from the United States, though specific details about its ecology and behavior remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.
Varacosa avara
Varacosa avara is a wolf spider (family Lycosidae) distributed across the United States and Canada. It has been documented as prey for at least two species of spider wasps in the family Pompilidae: Ageniella conflicta and Priocnemis minorata. The species is one of several wolf spiders in the genus Varacosa, which are ground-dwelling hunters. Beyond its recorded role as host for parasitoid wasps, specific details of its biology remain sparse.