# Liphistius

Liphistius is a genus of basal trapdoor spiders in the family Liphistiidae. They are found in Japan, China, and Southeast Asia.

## Taxonomy

The genus Liphistius was erected by Jørgen M. C. Schiødte in 1849. Schiødte spelt the name Lipistius; this was corrected to Liphistius by Tamerlan Thorell in 1869, a change endorsed by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature in 1970. Liphistius is from Greek λείπω, lipo ('lack') and ἱστός, histos ('web' in this context).

## Biology

Female body lengths range from 9 to 29 mm (0.35 to 1.14 in); males are slightly smaller. They live in burrows in earthen banks, on some cave walls, and probably in forests. The burrow is sealed with a thin, circular, woven door, which is disguised with soil and moss. While they spend the day deep inside their burrows, at night they wait just below the door for insects, woodlice, and similar invertebrates that stumble over one of the seven silken threads that radiate from the entrance. With a reluctance to leave their burrows, they push up the door and reach for their prey.

## Species

As of 2023, the World Spider Catalog accepts 69 species:
* Liphistius albipes Schwendinger, 1995 – Thailand
* Liphistius batuensis Abraham, 1923 – Malaysia
* Liphistius bicoloripes Ono, 1988 – Thailand
* Liphistius birmanicus Thorell, 1897 – Myanmar
* Liphistius bristowei Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Thailand
* Liphistius buran Schwendinger, 2019 – Malaysia
* Liphistius castaneus Schwendinger, 1995 – Thailand
* Liphistius cupreus (Schwendinger & Huber, 2022) – Myanmar
* Liphistius dangrek Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius desultor Schiödte, 1849 (type species) – Malaysia
* Liphistius endau Sedgwick & Platnick, 1987 – Malaysia
* Liphistius erawan Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius ferox (Schwendinger & Huber, 2022) – Myanmar
* Liphistius fuscus Schwendinger, 1995 – Thailand
* Liphistius gracilis Schwendinger, 2017 – Malaysia
* Liphistius hatyai (Zhan & Xu, 2022) – Thailand
* Liphistius hpruso Aung, Xu, Lwin, Sang, Yu, H. Liu, F. X. Liu & Li, 2019 – Myanmar
* Liphistius indra Schwendinger, 2017 – Malaysia
* Liphistius inthanon (Zhan & Xu, 2022) – Thailand
* Liphistius isan Schwendinger, 1998 – Thailand, Laos
* Liphistius jarujini Ono, 1988 – Thailand
* Liphistius johore Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Malaysia
* Liphistius kanthan Platnick, 1997 – Malaysia
* Liphistius keeratikiati (Zhan & Xu, 2022) – Thailand
* Liphistius lahu Schwendinger, 1998 – Thailand
* Liphistius langkawi Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Malaysia
* Liphistius lannaianus Schwendinger, 1990 – Thailand
* Liphistius laoticus Schwendinger, 2013 – Laos
* Liphistius laruticus Schwendinger, 1997 – Malaysia
* Liphistius linang Schwendinger, 2017 – Malaysia
* Liphistius lordae Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Myanmar
* Liphistius maewongensis Sivayyapram, Smith, Weingdow & Warrit, 2017 – Thailand
* Liphistius malayanus Abraham, 1923 – Malaysia
* Liphistius marginatus Schwendinger, 1990 – Thailand
* Liphistius metopiae Schwendinger, 2022 – Thailand
* Liphistius murphyorum Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Malaysia
* Liphistius nabang Yu, F. Zhang & J. X. Zhang, 2021 – China
* Liphistius negara Schwendinger, 2017 – Malaysia
* Liphistius nesioticus Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius niphanae Ono, 1988 – Thailand
* Liphistius ochraceus Ono & Schwendinger, 1990 – Thailand
* Liphistius onoi Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius ornatus Ono & Schwendinger, 1990 – Thailand
* Liphistius owadai Ono & Schwendinger, 1990 – Thailand
* Liphistius panching Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Malaysia
* Liphistius phileion Schwendinger, 1998 – Thailand
* Liphistius phuketensis Schwendinger, 1998 – Thailand
* Liphistius pinlaung Aung, Xu, Lwin, Sang, Yu, H. Liu, F. X. Liu & Li, 2019 – Myanmar
* Liphistius platnicki (Schwendinger & Huber, 2022) – Myanmar
* Liphistius priceae Schwendinger, 2017 – Malaysia
* Liphistius pusohm Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius pyinoolwin Xu, Yu, Aung, Yu, Liu, Lwin, Sang & Li, 2021 – Myanmar
* Liphistius sayam Schwendinger, 1998 – Thailand
* Liphistius schwendingeri Ono, 1988 – Thailand
* Liphistius sumatranus Thorell, 1890 – Indonesia (Sumatra)
* Liphistius suwat Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius tanakai Ono & Aung, 2020 – Myanmar
* Liphistius tempurung Platnick, 1997 – Malaysia
* Liphistius tenuis Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius thaleri Schwendinger, 2009 – Thailand
* Liphistius tham Sedgwick & Schwendinger, 1990 – Thailand
* Liphistius thoranie Schwendinger, 1996 – Thailand
* Liphistius tioman Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Malaysia
* Liphistius trang Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Thailand
* Liphistius tung Schwendinger, 2022 – Myanmar
* Liphistius yamasakii Ono, 1988 – Thailand
* Liphistius yangae Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 – Thailand, Malaysia
* Liphistius pilok Tanikawa & Petcharad, 2023
* Liphistius chang Tanikawa & Petcharad, 2023

## Threatened Malaysian species

Three of the Liphistius species known to exist in Malaysia are endemic to only one or two caves. The most well known is Liphistius batuensis, which is found in Batu Caves. It is endangered, with a population of under 250 individuals. Other species found in Malaysia include Liphistius malayanus, Liphistius murphyorum and Liphistius desultor. The Malaysian trapdoor spiders are protected by local law, though continuous threats come from loss of habitat and collection by exotic pet traders.