Lycosidae  Sundevall, 1833 / Arctosa  C. L. Koch, 1847   36 species

Arctosa similis Schenkel, 1938

Description
Male

Tegular apophysis strongly developed, ventral tooth long and conspicuous. Terminal apophysis long and slender. Prosoma length: 4.2-6.3. Body greyish to yellowish, pattern indistinct. Legs with indistinct annulation.

Female

Epigyne triangular, margins sclerotised, anterior margin forming a bilobed hood. Vulva with strongly bent copulatory ducts. Prosoma length: 3.4-7.1. Colouration as in males.

Additional information

In open habitats with sparse vegetation, with sand and gravel, along the seashore riverbanks.

Distribution
  Presence
  No data
Global distribution (WSC 2026): Canary Is. to Cyprus, Iraq, Iran
Figures
Distribution List
Croatia   (Buchar et al., 2006) ||| Cyprus   (Bosmans et al., 2019c) ||| France / Corsica   (Buchar et al., 2006; Buchar & Dolanský, 2011) ||| Greece / Crete   (Bosmans et al., 2013) ||| Italy   (Isaia et al., 2025) ||| Italy / Sardinia   (Isaia et al., 2025) ||| Italy / Sicily   (Isaia et al., 2025) ||| Morocco   (Guy, 1966; Benhalima & Bosmans, 2024) ||| Portugal   (Branco et al., 2019) ||| Spain   (Branco et al., 2019; Buchar & Dolanský, 2011) ||| Spain / Balearic Islands   (Branco et al., 2019) |||
References

Al-Khazali A M, Al-Abbad M Y M, Fomichev A A, Kachel H S (2023) New data on the wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) of Iraq. Ecologica Montenegrina 67: 101-116 pdf

Benhalima S, Bosmans R (2024) First historical checklist of spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) from Morocco, between 1840–2024. Zootaxa 5555: 407-535 pdf

Bosmans R, Van Keer J, Russell-Smith A, Hadjiconstantis M, Komnenov M, Bosselaers J, Huber S, McCowan D, Snazell R, Decae A, Zoumides C, Kielhorn K-H, Oger P (2019c) Spiders of Cyprus (Araneae). A catalogue of all currently known species from Cyprus. Newsletter of the Belgian Arachnological Society 34, Suppl. 1: 1-173 pdf

Bosmans R, Van Keer J, Russell-Smith A, Kronestedt T, Alderweireldt M, Bosselaers J, De Koninck H (2013) Spiders of Crete (Araneae). A catalogue of all currently known species from the Greek island of Crete. Nieuwsbrief van de Belgische Arachnologische Vereniging 28 (Suppl. 1): 1-147 pdf

Branco V V, Morano E, Cardoso P (2019) An update to the Iberian spider checklist (Araneae). Zootaxa 4614: 201-254 pdf

Buchar J, Dolanský J (2011) New records of wolf spiders (Araneae: Lycosidae) in the Mediterranean. Klapalekiana 47: 5-11 pdf

Buchar J, Knoflach B, Thaler K (2006) On the identity of Arctosa varians C. L. Koch and Artosa similis Schenkel, with notes on related species. Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 13: 329-336 pdf

Dolejš P (2023) A historical collection of Greek spiders (Arachnida: Araneae) in the National Museum of the Czech Republic. Arachnologische Mitteilungen 66: 17-23 pdf

Fuhn I E, Niculescu-Burlacu F (1971) Fam. Lycosidae. Fauna Republicii Socialiste România (Arachnida) 5 (3): 1-253 pdf

Guy Y (1966) Contribution à l'étude des araignées de la famille des Lycosidae et de la sous-famille des Lycosinae avec étude spéciale des espèces du Maroc. Travaux de l'Institut Scientifique Chérifien et de la Faculté des Sciences, Série Zoologie, Rabat 33: 1-174 pdf

Hepner M, Paulus H F (2009) Contributions on the wolf spider fauna (Araneae, Lycosidae) of Gran Canaria (Spain). Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society 14: 339-346 pdf

Iorio E (unpubl.) .

Isaia M, Tolve M, Pantini P (2025) Araneae.it: 2.0: the new updated version of the digital catalog of the Italian spiders and other arachnids (Arachnida: Araneae, Opiliones, Scorpiones, Pseudoscorpiones, Palpigradi, Solifugae). Fragmenta Entomologica 57: 197-204 pdf

Lecigne S, Moutaouakil S, Lips J (2025) Contribution to the knowledge of the spider fauna of Morocco (Arachnida: Araneae) – second note. On new species and new records from caves and miscellaneous terrestrial ecosystems. Journal of the Belgian Arachnological Society 40(1, supplement): 1-184 pdf

Simon E (1937) Les arachnides de France 6 (5). Paris (Roret): 979-1298 pdf

WSC (2026) World Spider Catalog. Version 27. Natural History Museum Bern, online at http://wsc.nmbe.ch (13.2.2026) doi: 10.24436/2 pdf

Updates
14-05-2025 Image insert
14-05-2025 Distribution update Detail
08-05-2024 Distribution update Detail
11-01-2024 Image insert
28-10-2023 Image insert
28-10-2023 Distribution update Detail
12-11-2021 Gallery image insert
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26-05-2020 Distribution update Detail
26-05-2020 Distribution insert Detail
03-02-2019 Distribution update Detail
15-10-2013 Distribution update Detail