• Source: 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 (A. affinis) 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 (which is made of protein). Atypus cobwebs have also been used in Sichuan and Tibet to manage the symptoms of diabetes.




Identification features


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.




Species


As of November 2022 it contains 33 species:

Atypus affinis Eichwald, 1830 – Europe (Britain to Ukraine), North Africa
Atypus baotianmanensis Hu, 1994 – China
Atypus baotingensis Li, Xu, Zhang, Liu, Zhang & Li, 2018 – China (Hainan)
Atypus coreanus Kim, 1985 – Korea
Atypus dorsualis Thorell, 1897 – Myanmar, Thailand
Atypus flexus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China
Atypus formosensis Kayashima, 1943 – Taiwan
Atypus heterothecus Zhang, 1985 – China
Atypus javanus Thorell, 1890 – Indonesia (Java)
Atypus jianfengensis Li, Xu, Zhang, Liu, Zhang & Li, 2018 – China (Hainan)
Atypus karschi Dönitz, 1887 – China, Taiwan, Japan
Atypus lannaianus Schwendinger, 1989 – Thailand
Atypus largosaccatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China
Atypus ledongensis Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China
Atypus magnus Namkung, 1986 – Russia (Far East), Korea
Atypus medius Oliger, 1999 – Russia (Far East)
Atypus minutus Lee, Lee, Yoo & Kim, 2015 – Korea
Atypus muralis Bertkau, 1890 – Central Europe to Iran and Turkmenistan
Atypus pedicellatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China
Atypus piceus (Sulzer, 1776) (type) – Europe (France to Russia), Iran
Atypus quelpartensis Namkung, 2002 – Korea
Atypus sacculatus Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China
Atypus seogwipoensis Kim, Ye & Noh, 2015 – Korea
Atypus sinensis Schenkel, 1953 – China
Atypus sternosulcus Kim, Kim, Jung & Lee, 2006 – Korea
Atypus suiningensis Zhang, 1985 – China
Atypus suthepicus Schwendinger, 1989 – Thailand
Atypus sutherlandi Chennappaiya, 1935 – India
Atypus suwonensis Kim, Kim, Jung & Lee, 2006 – Korea
Atypus tibetensis Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China
Atypus wataribabaorum Tanikawa, 2006 – Japan
Atypus wii Siliwal, Kumar & Raven, 2014 – India
Atypus yajuni Zhu, Zhang, Song & Qu, 2006 – China




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 (which is made of protein).




References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Atypus
• Atypus affinis
• Atypical tarantula
• Atypus karschi
• Sphodros rufipes
• Atypus piceus
• Atypus muralis
• Sphodros
• List of Atypidae species
• Atypichthys