Definition

Noun: A large species of wolf spider native to southern Europe, historically and incorrectly believed to be the cause of tarantism, a condition characterized by hysterical dancing.

Usage Notes

This term refers specifically to a particular arachnid species (Lycosa tarantula) known for its size and its historical association with a medical myth. It is a compound noun where "European" specifies the geographic origin and "wolf spider" indicates the family (Lycosidae). The term is used in zoological, historical, and entomological contexts.

Examples

• The European wolf spider is not considered dangerously venomous to humans.
• Historical texts mistakenly linked the bite of the European wolf spider to the disease called tarantism.
• Researchers studied the hunting behavior of the European wolf spider in its natural habitat.

Advanced Usage

• The species name, , originates from the Italian city of Taranto, around which the legends of tarantism flourished.
• In historical medical contexts, the European wolf spider was the alleged agent of a cultural phenomenon involving music and dance thought to be a cure for its bite.

Variants and Related Words

• Tarantula: In historical and some regional contexts, this word was used interchangeably for the European wolf spider. In modern English, "tarantula" almost exclusively refers to large, hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae.
• Wolf spider: The common name for the family Lycosidae, to which the European wolf spider belongs. Wolf spiders are known for their hunting prowess and for carrying their egg sacs.

Synonyms

• (scientific name)
• Tarantula (archaic/obsolete in this specific sense)

Related Concepts

• Tarantism: The hysterical condition, once prevalent in Southern Italy, which was falsely attributed to the bite of the European wolf spider. The supposed cure involved frenzied dancing to specific music (tarantella).
• Arachnid: The class of joint-legged invertebrates that includes spiders, scorpions, and ticks.

Noun

1. large southern European spider once thought to be the cause of tarantism (uncontrollable bodily movement)