Arachnid · GBIF taxon 2162561
Pocock's Lampshade-web Spider
Hypochilus pocockiAlso known as Pocock's Lampshade Spider, Lampshade Web Spider
Pocock's lampshade-web spiders belong to one of the most ancient surviving lineages of araneomorph spiders, retaining primitive features such as two pairs of book lungs. They build distinctive, lamp-shade-shaped webs made of woolly cribellate silk attached to damp, shaded rock overhangs throughout the Southern Appalachians. By day, these spiders retreat into the apex of their silky cone, emerging onto the outer rim at night to hunt passing prey.
NocturnalWeb BuilderAppalachian
1 / 5—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flies
- Moths
- Beetles
Predators
- Centipedes
- Lizards
- Birds
ThreatsMicroclimate alteration, deforestation, habitat loss
HabitatsMoist rock overhangs, cliff faces, cave entrances, shaded mountain ravines
Life span1–2 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAraneae
- FamilyHypochilidae
- GenusHypochilus
- SpeciesHypochilus pococki
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskVery high
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is very high
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Locate Web Structures: Look beneath moist, shaded rock overhangs and cliff ledges near mountain streams.
- Observe at Night: Use a soft red flashlight after dusk when the spider hangs active at the rim of its web.
- Protect Microhabitats: Avoid touching or disturbing the delicate silk structures attached to rock faces.
Image unavailableClose Relative 
Close Relative (c) John P Friel, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by John P Friel · cc-byClose Relative
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