Atypus
Atypus, also called purseweb spiders, is a genus of atypical tarantulas first described by Pierre André Latreille in 1804. It occurs in Eurasia, with one species reaching into North Africa. Only three of the described species occur in Europe: A. piceus, A. affinis, and A. muralis. Specimens from the USA formerly known as A. snetsingeri represent an introduced population of A. karschi.
Peasants in the southern Carpathian Mountains used to cut up tubes built by Atypus and cover wounds with the inner lining. It reportedly facilitated healing and even connected with the skin. This is believed to be due to antiseptic properties of spider silk. Atypus cobwebs have also been used in Sichuan and Tibet to manage the symptoms of diabetes.
They are three-clawed, medium to large spiders with eight eyes. They have six spinnerets with the median spinneret truncated. The prolateral sides of the maxillae are elongated. The cephalic side of the cephalothorax is elevated. They have large chelicerae with long and thin fangs. The male sternum has marginal ridges.
Medical usage
The cobwebs produced by spiders in the genus Atypus, called Huidouba, have traditionally been consumed in Sichuan and Tibet to manage the symptoms of diabetes. Several studies have corroborated their therapeutic effects.
Peasants in the southern Carpathian Mountains used to cut up tubes built by Atypus and cover wounds with the inner lining. It reportedly facilitated healing and even connected with the skin. This is believed to be due to antiseptic properties of spider silk.
Species
, this genus includes 38 species:Atypus affinis Eichwald, 1830 – Europe, North AfricaAtypus baotianmanensis Hu, 1994 – ChinaAtypus baotingensis F. Li, Xu, Z. T. Zhang, Liu, H. L. Zhang & D. Q. Li, 2018 – China Atypus coreanus Kim, 1985 – KoreaAtypus dawei Y. X. Li & Xu, 2025 – ChinaAtypus dorsualis Thorell, 1897 – Myanmar, ThailandAtypus flexus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – ChinaAtypus formosensis Kishida, 1943 – TaiwanAtypus heterothecus Zhang, 1985 – ChinaAtypus javanus Thorell, 1890 – Indonesia Atypus jianfengensis F. Li, Xu, Z. T. Zhang, Liu, H. L. Zhang & D. Q. Li, 2018 – China Atypus karschi Dönitz, 1887 – Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan. Introduced to United StatesAtypus lannaianus Schwendinger, 1989 – ThailandAtypus largosaccatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – ChinaAtypus ledongensis Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – ChinaAtypus liui Y. X. Li & Xu, 2025 – ChinaAtypus magnus Namkung, 1986 – Russia, KoreaAtypus medius Oliger, 1999 – Russia Atypus minutus S. Y. Lee, J. H. Lee, Yoo & Kim, 2015 – KoreaAtypus muralis Bertkau, 1890 – Central Europe to TurkmenistanAtypus pedicellatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – ChinaAtypus piceus – Europe, Iran Atypus quelpartensis Namkung, 2002 – KoreaAtypus sacculatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – ChinaAtypus seogwipoensis Kim, Ye & Noh, 2015 – KoreaAtypus sinensis Schenkel, 1953 – ChinaAtypus siyiensis Wu, Liu, Huang, Yin & Xu, 2025 – ChinaAtypus sternosulcus Kim, Kim, Jung & Lee, 2006 – KoreaAtypus suiningensis Zhang, 1985 – ChinaAtypus suthepicus Schwendinger, 1989 – ThailandAtypus sutherlandi Chennappaiya, 1935 – IndiaAtypus suwonensis Kim, Kim, Jung & Lee, 2006 – KoreaAtypus tibetensis Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – ChinaAtypus wataribabaorum Tanikawa, 2006 – JapanAtypus wii Siliwal, Kumar & Raven, 2014 – IndiaAtypus yajuni Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – ChinaAtypus yanjingensis Wu, Liu, Huang, Yin & Xu, 2025 – ChinaAtypus yaozu Wu, Liu, Huang, Yin & Xu, 2025 – China