Species of this genus are distributed in Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Mali, Niger, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Somalia, Kenya, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia.

Many of the species inhabit semiarid, arid or hyperarid regions, mountainous areas as well as plains from sea level up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) altitude (P. neumanni).

But P. zolii and P. neumanni can be found also in marginal unattended cultivated areas with Desmostachya bipinnata grass and other scrub and well vegetated natural habitats.

[4][5][6] The species of Philochortus are diurnal, sun-loving active predators on insects and other arthropods, egg-laying and terrestrial but P. zolii is an avid climber.

[1] Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Philochortus.