Rhaucus is a genus of harvestmen in the family Cosmetidae. The genus is endemic to the northern Andes in Colombia. There are currently seven described species in the genus.
Many other species were included in the genus Rhaucus, until a taxonomic revision (in 2017) reduced the genus to a more clearly defined grouping and synonymized or transferred multiple previously described species to leave five remaining species. A previously synonymized species, R. papilionaceus, was revalidated in 2018.Two other species were later transferred into the genus and two new species described.
Rhaucus is likely named for an ancient Cretian town, Rhaucus.
Rhaucus contains the following species: (after GarcÃÂa & Kury, 2017; GarcÃÂa & Daniela Ahumada-C., 2018; Pinzón-Morales & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2024).
<small>(Note: Rhaucus trilineatus is interpreted as having been indirectly transferred to Rhaucus due to the synonymy of Metarhaucus F.O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1905 under Rhaucus in GarcÃÂa & Kury (2017: 417). There, the type species Metarhaucus fuscus Pickard-Cambridge 1905 became a junior synonym of Rhaucus serripes (Simon, 1879)), consequently leading to Metarhaucus = Rhaucus. Other species then placed in Metarhaucus at that time and similarly affected by the same synonymy have since been re-formalised into other genera).</small>