title: Alopecosa
text: # Alopecosa
  
  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
  
  As of January 2021, 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.
  
  