| Caloctenus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Ctenidae |
| Genus: | Caloctenus Keyserling, 1877 [1] |
| Type species | |
| C. aculeatus Keyserling, 1877 | |
| Species | |
6, see text | |
Caloctenus is a genus of wandering spiders first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1877. [2]
As of April 2019 [update] it contains six species: [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.
Goeldia is a genus of spiders that occur in Central to South America.
Peucetia is a genus of lynx spiders that is found worldwide.
Acanthoctenus is a genus of Central to South American wandering spiders first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1877.
Bertrana is a genus of Central and South American orb-weaver spiders first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1884. It includes some of the smallest known araneid orb-weavers. Bertrana striolata females are 4.5 mm long or less. The eight eyes are in two rows. The abdomen is white on top and on the sides, with multiple hieroglyphic-like lines and bars of many different shapes and length. In females, these are red, in males, black.
Cupiennius, known by the common name bromeliad spiders or as the often confused name banana spiders, is a genus of araneomorph spiders in the family Trechaleidae, named by Eugène Simon in 1891. They are found from Mexico to northwestern South America, and on some Caribbean islands. Unlike the dangerously venomous Phoneutria, bites from these spiders typically have only minor effects on humans, and have been compared to a bee sting.
Nops is a genus of medium-sized South American, Central American, and Caribbean spiders in the family Caponiidae, first described by Alexander Macleay in 1839. It has a great richness on the Caribbean islands, and most mainland species are located in high proportion toward the Caribbean coast. It likely has a neotropical distribution, though most species of South America are known only from the coast of Colombia and Venezuela, including the islands of Aruba, Curaçao, Bonaire and Trinidad.
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.
Verrucosa is a genus of orb-weaver spiders first described by Henry McCook in 1888. It contains almost fifty described species, most of which live in South America. The only species in the United States is the arrowhead spider.
Priscula is a genus of South American cellar spiders that was first described by Eugène Louis Simon in 1893.
Sphecozone is a genus of sheet weavers that was first described by Octavius Pickard-Cambridge in 1871.
Thymoites is a genus of comb-footed spiders that was first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1884.
Xenoctenidae is a family of araneomorph spiders separated from Miturgidae in 2017.
Josa is a genus of South American anyphaenid sac spiders first described by Eugen von Keyserling in 1891. It is a senior synonym of "Gayenella", "Haptisus", "Olbophthalmus", and "Pelayo".
Alpaida is a genus of South American orb-weaver spiders first described by Octavius Pickard-Cambridge in 1889.