''Eresus'', also called ladybird spiders, is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of velvet spiders (family Eresidae) that was first described by

Charles Athanase Walckenaer Baron Charles Athanase Walckenaer (25 December 1771 – 28 April 1852) was a French civil servant, writer, man of letters, and scientist. He was a polymath and wrote extensively on geography, natural history, and literature. Major contributio ...

in 1805. Members of the genus formerly called '' Eresus cinnaberinus'' or ''Eresus niger'' are now placed in one of three species: '' Eresus kollari'', ''

Eresus sandaliatus ''Eresus sandaliatus'' is a species of spider found primarily in northern and central Europe. Like other species of the genus ''Eresus'', it is commonly called ladybird spider because of the coloration of the male. ''E. sandaliatus'' is one ...

'' and ''

Eresus moravicus ''Eresus moravicus'' is a spider species in the family Eresidae found in Austria, Hungary, Czechia, Serbia, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, and Albania. Being found mainly in rocky steppes. It is named after the eastern part of the Czech Republic, Morav ...

''. A new species '' Eresus urus'' (named after the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur), was discovered in southern Iraq in March 2025.

Description

They resemble both

jumping spider Jumping spiders are a group of spiders that constitute the family (biology), family Salticidae. , this family contained over 600 species description, described genus, genera and over 6,000 described species, making it the largest family of spide ...

s and the spiders in the Palpimanidae, as their body shapes are similar and their body is velvety. Males of this genus have a red abdomen with black spotting, usually sporting 4 black spots. The rest of the body is usually black, with some reddish or white areas. Females of this genus usually have dull colors, in grey, brown or black tones. For most individuals, the full body length reaches 8.5 to 20mm, with a distinct prosomal length of 3.6 to 6.1 mm. In some species, the females have some yellow coloration, though they are still significantly duller than the males.

Identification

Males of this genus can usually be distinguished by their unique

abdominal The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...

pattern. Which in the lateral areas has two pairs of black patches which is surrounded by some reddish coloration. Sometimes they also have an extra pair. Females are harder to distinguish, with a species specific dedicated identification section being needed.

Distribution

They are found in

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

, and

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, usually in non-forested warm and dry habitats. Their life cycle is completed in 3–4 years, after they undergo dispersion and reach a juvenile state and turn into predators. Some species build a vertical

burrow file:Chipmunk-burrow (exits).jpg, An eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of Animal lo ...

which is lined with silk, the opening being camouflaged with a silken sheet of debris. While some species don't build a burrow and just make their tubes under stones.

Species

it contains twenty-three species and five subspecies: *''

Eresus adaleari ''Eresus'', also called ladybird spiders, is a genus of velvet spiders (family Eresidae) that was first described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805. Members of the genus formerly called '' Eresus cinnaberinus'' or ''Eresus niger'' are now ...

'' Zamani & Szűts, 2020 - Iran *'' Eresus albopictus'' Simon, 1873 – Morocco, Algeria *'' Eresus bifasciatus'' Ermolajev, 1937 – Russia (South Siberia) *''

Eresus crassitibialis ''Eresus'', also called ladybird spiders, is a genus of velvet spiders (family Eresidae) that was first described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805. Members of the genus formerly called '' Eresus cinnaberinus'' or ''Eresus niger'' are now ...

'' Wunderlich, 1987 – Canary Is. *'' Eresus da'' Lin & Li, 2022 – China *'' Eresus elhennawyi'' Řezáč, Vaněk & Střeštík, 2023 – Morocco, Algeria *'' Eresus granosus'' Simon, 1895 – Russia (West Siberia), China *'' Eresus hermani'' Kovács, Prazsák, Eichardt, Vári & Gyurkovics, 2015 – Hungary, Slovakia *'' Eresus kollari'' Rossi, 1846 – Europe, Turkey, Caucasus, Russia (Europe to Far East), Iran, Central Asia **'' Eresus k. frontalis'' Latreille, 1819 – Spain **'' Eresus k. ignicomis'' Simon, 1914 – France (Corsica) **'' Eresus k. latefasciatus'' Simon, 1911 – Algeria **'' Eresus k. tricolor'' Simon, 1873 – France (Corsica) *''

Eresus lavrosiae ''Eresus lavrosiae'' is a spider species found in Georgia. See also * List of Eresidae species References Eresidae Spiders of Europe Spiders of Georgia (country) Spiders described in 1997 {{Araneomorphae-stub ...

'' Mcheidze, 1997 – Georgia *''

Eresus lishizheni ''Eresus'', also called ladybird spiders, is a genus of velvet spiders (family Eresidae) that was first described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805. Members of the genus formerly called '' Eresus cinnaberinus'' or ''Eresus niger'' are now ...

'' 2021 - China *''

'' Řezáč, 2008 – Austria, Hungary, Czech Rep., Slovakia, Albania *'' Eresus pharaonis'' Walckenaer, 1837 – Egypt *'' Eresus robustus'' Franganillo, 1918 – Spain *'' Eresus rotundiceps'' Simon, 1873 – Ukraine, Turkmenistan *'' Eresus ruficapillus'' C. L. Koch, 1846 – Italy (Sicily) *''

'' (Martini & Goeze, 1778) – Europe *'' Eresus sedilloti'' Simon, 1881 – Portugal, Spain *'' Eresus solitarius'' Simon, 1873 – Mediterranean *'' Eresus tristis'' Kroneberg, 1875 - Kazakhstan *'' Eresus urus'' Al-Yacoub & Zamani, 2025 – Iraq *'' Eresus walckenaeri'' Brullé, 1832 – Mediterranean **'' Eresus w. moerens'' C. L. Koch, 1846 – Afghanistan *'' Eresus yukuni'' Lin & Li, 2022 – China

References

External links

* Spiders of Europe Araneomorphae genera Eresidae Spiders of Africa Spiders of Asia Taxa named by Charles Athanase Walckenaer {{Araneomorphae-stub