Hippasa holmerae
Hippasa holmerae, known as the lawn wolf spider, is a small wolf spider found across much of Asia. It was first described by Tamerlan Thorell in 1895 from specimens in Burma (Myanmar) and is named after his wife, Julia Holmer.
This spider lives in grasslands, agricultural areas, and gardens, including rice fields, where it helps control pest insects. Adults are small: females are about 6–8 mm long, and males are around 7.25 mm. The cephalothorax is pale brown with a distinctive white X-pattern, while the abdomen is darker with lighter spots. The legs are fairly long, especially the rear pair.
A key feature is its funnel-shaped web, which is unusual for wolf spiders. This web-building behavior is an example of convergent evolution with funnel-web spiders and helps the spider catch prey near the ground among vegetation or in sheltered spots.
Geographically, H. holmerae ranges from India and Bangladesh to Myanmar, China, Taiwan, Laos, Singapore, and the Philippines, with notable variation across populations. Several names once thought to be separate species or subspecies—such as Hippasa sundaica, Hippasa jaihenensis, Hippasa rimandoi, and Hippasa sinsiloides—are now considered the same species as H. holmerae.
Recent studies using anatomy and DNA support that H. holmerae is widespread and variable in appearance.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:47 (CET).