Poecilochroa is a genus of ground spiders that was first described by Niklas Westring in 1874.
Description As Gnaphosidae, Poecilochroa have large cylindrical spinnerets. They are nocturnal, spending the day in silken retreats and going out at night to hunt.
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.
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.
Species
, this genus includes 28 species:
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)
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