Leptodrassus

Leptodrassus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Gnaphosidae
Genus:	Leptodrassus; Simon, 1878
Type species
	L. femineus; (Simon, 1873)
Species
	11, see text

Leptodrassus is a genus of ground spiders that was first described by Eugène Simon in 1878.

Description

The genus Leptodrassus is characterized by small, pale-colored gnaphosids measuring 2-6 mm in body length. Spiders in this genus have markedly enlarged anterior median eyes borne on a common, black patch, with eyes densely grouped around the anterior median eyes. The anterior lateral eyes touch both the anterior median eyes and posterior lateral eyes.

The chelicerae have two promarginal and 0-2 retromarginal teeth. The labium is wider than long, and the fovea is indistinct or absent. Males lack a dorsal scutum on the opisthosoma.

Species

As of September 2025^[update], this genus includes 11 species:

Leptodrassus albidus Simon, 1914 – Azores, Canary Islands, Spain, Greece, Turkey, Israel
Leptodrassus bergensis Tucker, 1923 – South Africa
Leptodrassus croaticus Dalmas, 1919 – Croatia
Leptodrassus diomedeus Caporiacco, 1951 – Italy
Leptodrassus femineus (Simon, 1873) – Portugal, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Israel (type species)
Leptodrassus fragilis Dalmas, 1919 – Algeria, Libya
Leptodrassus incertus Banks, 1898 – Mexico
Leptodrassus licentiosus Dalmas, 1919 – South Africa
Leptodrassus punicus Dalmas, 1919 – Tunisia
Leptodrassus strandi Caporiacco, 1947 – Ethiopia
Leptodrassus tropicus Dalmas, 1919 – Sierra Leone

References

1 2 "Genus Leptodrassus". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 25 September 2025.
↑ Simon, E. (1878). Les arachnides de France. Librarie Encyclopediquede Roter.
1 2 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 2 (E-S). Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 29. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197672. Retrieved 25 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[wsc-1] 1 2 "Genus Leptodrassus". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 25 September 2025.

[Simo1878-2] Simon, E. (1878). Les arachnides de France. Librarie Encyclopediquede Roter.

[dippenaar2021c-3] 1 2 Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Gnaphosidae of South Africa. Part 2 (E-S). Version 1. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 29. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7197672. Retrieved 25 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.