It occurs in Europe to Moldavia and in Iran, and is the type species of the genus Atypus.

Males are of a deep black, while spiderlings and females are dark brown with a violet hue.

The silken lining continues above ground for about 10 centimetres (3.9 in), where it is camouflaged with matter from the vicinity.

After emerging in spring, they climb nearby plants and use strands of silk to fly away (ballooning).

A. muralis has posterior spinnerets with four segments, A. affinis with three, and A. piceus has three, but the white blot could be result of this hybridisation.