{{Short description|Genus of spiders}} {{Italic title}} {{Automatic taxobox | name = | image = Simorcus cotti 312393328 564017164.jpg | image_caption = female ''S. cotti'' from South Africa | image2 = Simorcus asiaticus 24979589.jpg | image2_caption = ''S. asiaticus'' from Hong Kong | taxon = Simorcus | authority = Simon<ref name="wsc" /> | type_species = ''Simorcus capensis'' | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = 13, see text | range_map = Simorcus range map.svg | range_map_caption = <span style="color:blue">blue</span>: reported countries (WSC) }} '''''Simorcus''''' is a genus of spiders in the family Thomisidae. It was first described in 1895 by Eugène Simon. All except one of the thirteen species are found in Africa.<ref name=wsc />
==Distribution== Species in this genus are mostly found in West, East and southern Africa. One species reaches into Yemen, with another endemic to China.<ref name=wsc />
==Description== Spiders in the genus ''Simorcus'' exhibit little sexual dimorphism except for the smaller size of males.<ref name="dippenaar2020" />
Females measure 3.8–6.0 mm in body size, while males are 3.0–5.8 mm. Live specimens are brown or grey, mottled with white or cream, though color fades in alcohol to yellow-brown.<ref name="dippenaar2020" />
The carapace is longer than wide, rugose, and covered with numerous tubercles, each bearing short clavate or spiniform setae. The eyes are small and positioned on slightly raised tubercles. The eye region is elevated and decorated with six tubercles, each bearing either a spiniform or clavate seta that could be either short and stout or long and slender.<ref name="dippenaar2020" />
The abdomen is longer than wide (except in ''S. capensis'') and caudally obtuse, bearing twenty or more large tubercles, each with a short, stout, spiniform or long, slender, clavate seta. Legs are long with numerous setae but without strong spines. Either leg I or II is the longest.<ref name="dippenaar2020" />
==Life style== Little is known about the behaviour of ''Simorcus''. Material has been collected mainly from bark and foliage, although some specimens were captured in pitfall traps and hand-collected from under rocks or on sand dunes.<ref name="dippenaar2020" />
Their mottled grey and brown bodies camouflage them well, making them difficult to observe. One specimen was observed feeding on a ''Camponotus'' ant.<ref name="dippenaar2020" />
==Species== {{as of|2025|10}}, this genus includes thirteen species:<ref name="wsc" /> {{Div col}} * ''Simorcus asiaticus'' <small>Ono & Song, 1989</small> – China * ''Simorcus capensis'' <small>Simon, 1895</small> – Tanzania, South Africa (type species) * ''Simorcus coronatus'' <small>Simon, 1907</small> – West, Central Africa * ''Simorcus cotti'' <small>Lessert, 1936</small> – Tanzania, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini * ''Simorcus cummingae'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Botswana, Zimbabwe * ''Simorcus guinea'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Guinea, DR Congo * ''Simorcus haddadi'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – South Africa * ''Simorcus hakos'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Namibia * ''Simorcus itombwe'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Congo * ''Simorcus kalemie'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Congo * ''Simorcus lotzi'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Namibia, Botswana, South Africa * ''Simorcus okavango'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Botswana * ''Simorcus vanharteni'' <small>van Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2010</small> – Yemen, Tanzania {{Div col end}}
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="wsc">{{cite web | url=https://wsc.nmbe.ch/genus/3715 | title=Gen. ''Simorcus'' Simon, 1895 | publisher=World Spider Catalog | doi=10.24436/2 | accessdate=2025-10-07}}</ref> <ref name="dippenaar2020">{{cite book |last1=Dippenaar-Schoeman |first1=A.S. |last2=Haddad |first2=C.R. |last3=Foord |first3=S.H. |last4=Lotz |first4=L.N. |year=2020 |title=The Thomisidae of South Africa. Part 2 My-R. Version 1 |publisher=South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide |page=62 |doi=10.5281/zenodo.7513276}}{{Creative Commons text attribution notice|cc=by4}}</ref> }}
==External links== * {{inaturalist taxon}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5257197}}
Category:Thomisidae Category:Araneomorphae genera Category:Spiders of Africa Category:Spiders of China Category:Taxa named by Eugène Simon