''Leucorchestris'' 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 African huntsman spiders that was first described in 1962 by R. F. Lawrence, who described all of the species in the genus between 1962 and 1966. ''Leucorchestris'' species, also known as a "dancing white lady spiders", are white, wandering spiders that are strictly nocturnal and live in burrows that have been dug into the desert sand. They spend their days burrowed in the sand and only come out to the surface at night. When it is time to come out, ''Leucorchestris'' only come out for hunting, mating, and chasing other male spiders. Males are known well for the long distances that they travel when searching for females to mate with. When the male spiders leave their burrows to go out and search for female spiders for mating, their trips usually go as far out as 40-60 m away from their burrows and they are still able to find their way back to them without retracing the path that they took when leaving. ''Leucorchestris'' species communicate through vibrations called drumming. This is what they use to steer away from other male spiders during mating time and to find the female spiders.

Species

it contains seven species, found in Africa: *''

Leucorchestris alexandrina ''Leucorchestris'' is a genus of African huntsman spiders that was first described in 1962 by R. F. Lawrence, who described all of the species in the genus between 1962 and 1966. ''Leucorchestris'' species, also known as a "dancing white lady sp ...

'' Lawrence, 1966 –

Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...

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Leucorchestris arenicola ''Leucorchestris arenicola'', commonly called the dancing white lady spider, is a huntsman spider in the family ''Huntsman spider, Sparassidae'' and genus ''Leucorchestris.'' It is commonly found in the Namib desert of Namibia. It is often mistak ...

'' Lawrence, 1962 (

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) –

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

*''

Leucorchestris flavimarginata ''Leucorchestris'' is a genus of African huntsman spiders that was first described in 1962 by R. F. Lawrence, who described all of the species in the genus between 1962 and 1966. ''Leucorchestris'' species, also known as a "dancing white lady sp ...

'' Lawrence, 1966 – Namibia *''

Leucorchestris porti ''Leucorchestris'' is a genus of African huntsman spiders that was first described in 1962 by R. F. Lawrence, who described all of the species in the genus between 1962 and 1966. ''Leucorchestris'' species, also known as a "dancing white lady sp ...

'' Lawrence, 1965 – Namibia *''

Leucorchestris sabulosa ''Leucorchestris'' is a genus of African huntsman spiders that was first described in 1962 by R. F. Lawrence, who described all of the species in the genus between 1962 and 1966. ''Leucorchestris'' species, also known as a "dancing white lady sp ...

'' Lawrence, 1966 – Namibia *''

Leucorchestris setifrons ''Leucorchestris'' is a genus of African Sparassidae, huntsman spiders that was first described in 1962 by R. F. Lawrence, who described all of the species in the genus between 1962 and 1966. ''Leucorchestris'' species, also known as a "dancing w ...

'' Lawrence, 1966 – Angola *'' Leucorchestris steyni'' Lawrence, 1965 – Namibia

Species

See also

References

Further reading