Wandering spiders (''Ctenidae'') are a

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

spider Spiders (order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

s that includes the Brazilian wandering spiders. These spiders have a distinctive longitudinal groove on the top-rear of their oval carapace similar to those of the

Amaurobiidae ''Amaurobiidae'' is a family of three-clawed cribellate or ecribellate spiders found in crevices and hollows or under stones where they build retreats, and are often collected in pitfall traps. Unlidded burrows are sometimes quite obvious in crust ...

. They are highly defensive and

venomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

nocturnal hunters. Wandering spiders are known to hunt large prey, for example hylid species '' Dendropsophus branneri.'' Despite their notoriety for being dangerous, only a few members of ''

Phoneutria ''Phoneutria'' is a genus of spiders in the family Ctenidae. Phoneutria venom is potentially medically significant to humans. They are mainly found in northern South America, with one species in Central America. Members of the genus are commo ...

'' have venom known to be hazardous to humans, but the venoms of this family are poorly known, so all larger ctenids should be treated with caution.

Genera

, the

World Spider Catalog The World Spider Catalog (WSC) is an online searchable database concerned with spider taxonomy. It aims to list all accepted families, genera and species, as well as provide access to the related taxonomic literature. The WSC began as a series of ...

accepts the following genera: *'' Acantheis'' Thorell, 1891 — Asia *'' Acanthoctenus'' Keyserling, 1877 — South America, Central America, Jamaica, Mexico *'' Africactenus'' Hyatt, 1954 — Africa, India *'' Afroneutria'' Polotow & Jocqué, 2015 — Africa *'' Amauropelma'' Raven, Stumkat & Gray, 2001 — Asia, Australia *'' Amicactenus'' Henrard & Jocqué, 2017 — Africa *'' Anahita'' Karsch, 1879 — Africa, Asia, United States *'' Ancylometes'' Bertkau, 1880 — South America, Honduras *'' Apolania'' Simon, 1898 — Seychelles *'' Arctenus'' Polotow & Jocqué, 2014 — Kenya *'' Asthenoctenus'' Simon, 1897 — South America *''

Bengalla ''Bengalla'' is a monotypic genus of Australian wandering spiders containing the single species, ''Bengalla bertmaini''. It was first described by Michael R. Gray & J. A. Thompson in 2001, and has only been found in Australia. It was original ...

'' Gray & Thompson, 2001 — Australia *'' Bulboctenus'' Pereira, Labarque & Polotow, 2020 — Brazil *'' Califorctenus'' Jiménez, Berrian, Polotow & Palacios-Cardiel, 2017 *'' Caloctenus'' Keyserling, 1877 — Ethiopia, South America *'' Celaetycheus'' Simon, 1897 — Brazil *'' Centroctenus'' Mello-Leitão, 1929 — South America *'' Chococtenus'' Dupérré, 2015 — Ecuador, Colombia *'' Ciba'' Bloom, Binford, Esposito, Alayón, Peterson, Nishida, Loubet-Senear & Agnarsson, 2014 — Cuba, Dominican Republic *'' Ctenus'' Walckenaer, 1805 — Africa, South America, Oceania, Central America, Asia, North America, Caribbean *'' Diallomus'' Simon, 1897 — Sri Lanka *'' Enoploctenus'' Simon, 1897 — South America, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines *'' Gephyroctenus'' Mello-Leitão, 1936 — Brazil, Peru *'' Isoctenus'' Bertkau, 1880 — Brazil, Argentina *'' Janusia'' Gray, 1973 — Australia *'' Kiekie'' Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 — Colombia, Central America, Mexico *'' Leptoctenus'' L. Koch, 1878 — Australia, North America, Panama *'' Macroctenus'' Henrard & Jocqué, 2017 — Guinea *'' Mahafalytenus'' Silva-Dávila, 2007 — Madagascar *'' Montescueia'' Carcavallo & Martínez, 1961 — Argentina *'' Nimbanahita'' Henrard & Jocqué, 2017 — Guinea *'' Nothroctenus'' Badcock, 1932 — Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay *'' Ohvida'' Polotow & Brescovit, 2009 — Cuba *'' Parabatinga'' Polotow & Brescovit, 2009 — South America *'' Perictenus'' Henrard & Jocqué, 2017 — Guinea *'' Petaloctenus'' Jocqué & Steyn, 1997 — Africa *''

'' Perty, 1833 — South America *'' Phymatoctenus'' Simon, 1897 — Brazil, Guyana, Costa Rica *'' Piloctenus'' Henrard & Jocqué, 2017 — Guinea, Togo, Ivory Coast *'' Sinoctenus'' Marusik, Zhang & Omelko, 2012 *'' Spinoctenus'' Hazzi, Polotow, Brescovit, González-Obando & Simó, 2018 *'' Thoriosa'' Simon, 1910 — São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea *''

Toca TOCA, formally trading as BARC (TOCA) Ltd, is an organiser of motorsport events in the United Kingdom. The company organises and administers the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and the support series to the BTCC, sometimes known as the T ...

'' Polotow & Brescovit, 2009 — Brazil *'' Trogloctenus'' Lessert, 1935 — Congo *'' Trujillina'' Bryant, 1948 — Caribbean *'' Tuticanus'' Simon, 1897 — Ecuador, Peru *'' Viracucha'' Lehtinen, 1967 — South America *'' Wiedenmeyeria'' Schenkel, 1953 — Venezuela

References

External links

World Spider Catalog 8.0: Family Ctenidae
* Taxa named by Eugen von Keyserling {{Ctenidae-stub

Genera

See also

References

External links