| Africactenus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Ctenidae |
| Genus: | Africactenus Hyatt, 1954 [1] |
| Type species | |
| A. agilior (Pocock, 1900) | |
| Species | |
21, see text | |
Africactenus is a genus of mostly African wandering spiders first described by K. H. Hyatt in 1954. [2]
As of April 2019 [update] it contains twenty-one species from Africa and India: [1]
Wandering spiders (Ctenidae) are a family of spiders 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. They are highly defensive and venomous 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 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.
Hyllus is a genus of the spider family Salticidae. Most species occur in Africa and Madagascar, with many in Australasia and north to India. H. insularis is found in Greece and Iran, but it is considered misplaced in this genus, and is now Evarcha insularis.
Hersilia, also known as long-spinnereted bark spiders and two-tailed spiders, is a genus of tree trunk spiders that was first described by Jean Victoire Audouin in 1826. Their nicknames are a reference to their greatly enlarged spinnerets.
Ctenus is a genus of wandering spiders first described by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1805. It is widely distributed, from South America through Africa to East Asia. Little is known about the toxic potential of the genus Ctenus; however, Ctenus medius has been shown to share some toxic properties with Phoneutria nigriventer, such as proteolytic, hyaluronidase and phospholipase activities, in addition to producing hyperalgesia and edema. The venom of C. medius also interferes with the complement system in concentrations in which the venom of P. nigriventer is inactive, indicating that some species in the genus may have a medically significant venom. The venom of C. medius interferes with the complement component 3 (C3) of the complement system; it affects the central factor of the cascades of the complement, and interferes with the lytic activity of this system, which causes stronger activation and consumption of the complement components. Unlike C. medius, the venom of P. nigriventer does not interfere with lytic activity.
Hahnia is a genus of dwarf sheet spiders that was first described by C. L. Koch in 1841.
Carteronius is a genus of African corinnid sac spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1896.
Hortipes is a genus of African corinnid sac spiders first described by J. Bosselaers & J.-C. Ledoux in 1998.
Pseudocorinna is a genus of African corinnid sac spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1910.
Petaloctenus is a genus of African wandering spiders first described by Rudy Jocqué & T. Steyn in 1997.
Lathrothele is a genus of African spiders in the family Ischnothelidae. It was first described by Pierre L.G. Benoit in 1965.
Andromma is a genus of spiders in the family Liocranidae. It was first described in 1893 by Eugène Simon.
Smeringopina is a genus of African cellar spiders that was first described by O. Kraus in 1957.
Deelemania is a genus of African dwarf spiders that was first described by R. Jocqué & R. Bosmans in 1983.
Metaleptyphantes is a genus of dwarf spiders that was first described by G. H. Locket in 1968.
Amicactenus is a genus of wandering spiders first described by A. Henrard & Rudy Jocqué in 2017.
Mystaria is a genus of African crab spiders first described by Eugène Simon in 1895.
Vicirionessa is a genus of spiders in the family Salticidae.