Poecilochroa
Genus of spiders
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Poecilochroa is a genus of ground spiders that was first described by Niklas Westring in 1874.[2]
| Poecilochroa | |
|---|---|
| |
| P. variana | |
 | |
| P. variana | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Gnaphosidae |
| Genus: | Poecilochroa Westring, 1874[1] |
| Type species | |
| P. variana (C. L. Koch, 1839) | |
| Species | |
|
28, see text | |
Description
As Gnaphosidae, Poecilochroa have large cylindrical spinnerets. They are nocturnal, spending the day in silken retreats and going out at night to hunt.[3]
Poecilochroa are divided into two gnaphosid groups based on their abdomen colouration: those with plain abdomens are in the Echemus group, while those with black and white abdomen are in the Herpyllus group. Males of both groups have well-developed dorsal scuta.[4]
Habitat
Poecilochroa occur in various habitats including on and under stones and dead leaves, on vegetation, in steppes, grasslands, dry fields, stream beds and forest floors.[5][6]
Species
Poecilochroa sp. from Karnataka, India
P. albomaculata
As of September 2025[update], this genus includes 28 species:[1]
- Poecilochroa albomaculata (Lucas, 1846) – Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia
- Poecilochroa alcala Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines
- Poecilochroa anomala (Hewitt, 1915) – South Africa, Lesotho
- Poecilochroa barmani Tikader, 1982 – India
- Poecilochroa bifasciata Banks, 1902 – Galapagos
- Poecilochroa capensis Strand, 1909 – South Africa
- Poecilochroa carinata Caporiacco, 1947 – Uganda
- Poecilochroa dayamibrookiana Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines
- Poecilochroa exoculata Lissner, 2024 – Canary Islands
- Poecilochroa faradjensis Lessert, 1929 – DR Congo
- Poecilochroa haplostyla Simon, 1907 – São Tomé and Príncipe
- Poecilochroa insularis Kulczyński, 1911 – Indonesia (Java)
- Poecilochroa involuta Tucker, 1923 – South Africa
- Poecilochroa joreungensis Paik, 1992 – Korea
- Poecilochroa khodiar (Patel, 1988) – India
- Poecilochroa kuljitae (Tikader, 1982) – India
- Poecilochroa latefasciata Simon, 1893 – Peru
- Poecilochroa parangunifasciata Barrion & Litsinger, 1995 – Philippines
- Poecilochroa patricia (Simon, 1878) – France (Corsica)
- Poecilochroa pauciaculeis Caporiacco, 1947 – Eritrea
- Poecilochroa phyllobia (Thorell, 1871) – Italy
- Poecilochroa rollini Berland, 1933 – French Polynesia (Marquesas Islands, Tuamotu)
- Poecilochroa taeguensis Paik, 1992 – Korea
- Poecilochroa tridotus Caleb & Mathai, 2013 – India
- Poecilochroa trifasciata Mello-Leitão, 1918 – Brazil
- Poecilochroa variana (C. L. Koch, 1839) – Europe, Central Asia (type species)
- Poecilochroa viduata (Pavesi, 1883) – Ethiopia
- Poecilochroa vittata Kulczyński, 1911 – Indonesia (Java)
