From folkloric origins to scientific systematics: the first detailed redescription of the type species of Lycosa Latreille, 1804 with insight into the genus (Araneae: Lycosidae)

The genus Lycosa has often served as a wastebasket taxon for species whose systematic position within the Lycosidae remains unclear. This is partly due to the lack of clear information regarding the diagnostic characters of its nominal species, the southern European Lycosa tarantula (Linnaeus, 1758). Despite being known for centuries by both academics and the general public, with the earliest published depictions dating back to the late 16th century, the taxonomy of this species has long been neglected. In this study, we redescribe L. tarantula based on samples from its ‘terra typica’ in southern Italy. We provide detailed photographs and illustrations of the diagnostic characters of both the copulatory organs and the habitus of the species, along with remarks about its ecology, distribution, and historiography. Additionally, we designate a neotype using a sample from the type locality, the Taranto area, and provide its molecular barcode. Two subspecies, L. tarentula carsica Caporiacco, 1949 syn. nov. and L. tarantula cisalpina Simon, 1937 syn. nov., are synonymized with L. tarantula based on the absence of morphological differences. Finally, since Lycosa is considered polyphyletic and in urgent need of a proper revision, we provide notes on Lycosa s. str. restricting it to 23 putative species. We believe that this information will support future taxonomic and systematic studies on the genus.