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Glite Dictionary
Lycosa tarentula

Lycosa tarentula

9.9
A large wolf spider from southern Europe once blamed for causing wild dancing
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : Lycosa tarentula
  • The bite of the Lycosa tarentula was once mistakenly thought to cause wild dancing, known as tarantism.

Examples

  • Researchers found a Lycosa tarentula in the fields near southern Italy.

  • Although the Lycosa tarentula looks menacing, it is generally not dangerous to humans.

  • The Lycosa tarentula is known for its impressive size.

  • Many people fear the Lycosa tarentula due to its appearance.

  • The Lycosa tarentula is a large wolf spider typical of southern Europe, known for its distinctive markings.

  • In the warm fields of southern Europe, the Lycosa tarentula can often be seen hunting for prey.

  • Historically, the bite of the Lycosa tarentula led to the belief in a condition called tarantism, causing uncontrollable movements.

Synonyms

European wolf spider
vsLycosa tarentula
  • UK
9.9

A large spider from southern Europe once thought to make people dance uncontrollably

is the formal species label for the same spider

Surface Forms

Lycosa tarentula singular
Lycosa tarentulas plural

Morphology

Lycosa + tarentula

This is a Linnaean binomial combining the genus name 'Lycosa' (a wolf-spider genus) with a species epithet; a learner who knows both constituents and understands taxonomic naming will directly infer it denotes a particular kind of wolf spider. The culturally specific detail about tarantism is not derivable from the name, but the basic referent (a species of Lycosa) is compositionally transparent.

Etymology

Lycosa tarentula is a large wolf spider from southern Europe; one popular story says people once believed its bite made them dance without control, a condition called 'tarantism'. So the strong image of people dancing after a spider bite helps explain why this spider became famous and linked to the word 'tarantula'.