Wandering spider

Wandering spiders
Phoneutria nigriventer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Subphylum:Chelicerata
Class:Arachnida
Order:Araneae
Infraorder:Araneomorphae
Family:Ctenidae
Keyserling, 1877[1]
Genera

see text

Diversity[2]
41 genera, 503 species

The wandering spiders are the members of the spider family Ctenidae. Some mistakenly misinterpret the name to only mean the genus Phoneutria, which are often called Brazilian wandering spiders (despite several species with ranges outside Brazil), but wandering spiders better refers to the entire family Ctenidae. Some members of the genus Phoneutria are highly defensive[3] and venomous nocturnal hunters, and are the only wandering spiders known to pose potential danger to humans. However, the venoms of many other members of this family are very poorly known,[4] meaning that all larger ctenids should be treated with caution. Some ctenids have marks and patterns that are attractive. Ctenids have a distinctive longitudinal groove on the top-rear of their oval carapace[5] (some other spiders have a similar groove; e.g., Amaurobiidae).

Genera

Cupiennius salei adult male. A species with an important toxin for medical research, but not a medically significant bite - although often mistaken for Phoneutria

As of March 2017, the World Spider Catalog accepted the following genera:[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Family: Ctenidae Keyserling, 1877 (genus list)". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  2. ↑ "Currently valid spider genera and species". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2015-11-10.
  3. ↑ Bücherl, Wolfgang; Buckley, Eleanor E. (2013). Venomous Animals and Their Venoms: Venomous Invertebrates. Elsevier. p. 237. ISBN 978-1-4832-6289-5.
  4. ↑ Okamoto et al. (2009). Ctenus medius and Phoneutria nigriventer spiders venoms share noxious proinflammatory activities. J. Med. Entomol. 46(1): 58-66
  5. ↑ . McGavin, George C. (2002). Insects and Other Terrestrial Arthropods. New York: Dorling Kindersley Ltd. p. 230. ISBN 0-7894-9392-6.


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