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
, 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.