World Spider Catalog

Ctenidae Keyserling, 1877

Family | ACCEPTED

N.B.: considered a senior synonym of Acanthoctenidae by Lehtinen, 1967: 378; Lehtinen's inclusion of the Thalassiinae (Pisauridae) was rejected by Brignoli, 1983c: 585; considered polyphyletic by Griswold, 1993: 37); limits thoroughly discussed by Silva-Dávila, 2003; Cupiennius Simon, 1891 transferred to the Trechaleidae by Piacentini & Ramírez, 2019: 233, Mahafalytenus Silva-Dávila, 2007 transferred to the Viridasiidae by Azevedo et al., 2022: 12 and Ancylometes Bertkau, 1880 transferred to the Ancylometidae by Hazzi, Wood & Hormiga, 2025: 7; Hazzi, Wood & Hormiga, 2025: 7 list these subfamilies: Acantheinae Simon, 1897a: 115 (sub Acantheae), Acanthocteninae Simon, 1892, Calocteninae Simon, 1897a: 119 (sub Calocteneae), Cteninae and Enoplocteninae Hazzi, Wood & Hormiga, 2025.

Gen. Phoneutria Perty, 1833 urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:01801

type Phoneutria fera Perty, 1833; gender feminine

N.B.: removed from the synonymy of Ctenus Walckenaer, 1805 by Bücherl, Lucas & Dessimoni, 1964: 96, confirming Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 14 (contra Simon, 1897a: 114).

Transferred to other genera:

Phoneutria auricularis Karsch, 1879 -- see Afroneutria

Phoneutria niveobarbata Mello-Leitão, 1945 -- see Ancylometes

Phoneutria oculifera Karsch, 1879 -- see Cupiennius

Phoneutria unilineata (Simon, 1897) -- see Ctenus

In synonymy:

Phoneutria andrewsi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) = Phoneutria reidyi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1973a: 32)

Phoneutria chilesica (Strand, 1916, T from Ctenus) = Phoneutria boliviensis (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 74)

Phoneutria colombiana Schmidt, 1956 = Phoneutria depilata (Strand, 1909) (Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30)

Phoneutria forcipata (Mello-Leitão, 1922, T from Ctenus) = Phoneutria reidyi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 75)

Phoneutria holmbergi Bücherl, 1968 = Phoneutria keyserlingi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Bücherl, 1968: 189, sub P. holmbergi)

Phoneutria luederwaldti (Mello-Leitão, 1927) = Phoneutria keyserlingi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Eickstedt, 1981: 118)

Phoneutria nigriventroides (Strand, 1907) = Phoneutria boliviensis (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 74)

Phoneutria paca (Mello-Leitão, 1922) = Phoneutria nigriventer (Keyserling, 1891) (Eickstedt & Lucas, 1969: 75)

Phoneutria peregrinoides (Strand, 1909) = Phoneutria depilata (Strand, 1909) (Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30)

Phoneutria rufichelis (Mello-Leitão, 1917) = Phoneutria nigriventer (Keyserling, 1891) (Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 73)

Phoneutria sus (Strand, 1910) = Phoneutria fera Perty, 1833 (Eickstedt, 1983c: 184)

Phoneutria valdehirsutula (Strand, 1909, T from Ctenus) = Phoneutria boliviensis (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) (Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 74)

Nomina dubia:

Phoneutria ochracea C. L. Koch, 1847: 62, f. 1460 (m, Brazil) -- Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 78

Phoneutria rufibarbis Perty, 1833: 197, pl. 9, f. 2 (f, Brazil) -- Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 78

Phoneutria signativenter (Strand, 1909h: 305, j, Ecuador, originally in Ctenus) -- Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30

Phoneutria bahiensis Simó & Brescovit, 2001 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:037787

Phoneutria bahiensis Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 75, f. 18-21, 26 (Dmf) Original description

Phoneutria bahiensis Martins & Bertani, 2007: 13, f. 19-23, 65-68 (mf)

Phoneutria boliviensis (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) | | Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020784

Ctenus boliviensis F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 80, pl. 3, f. 3a-c (Dmf) Original description

Ctenus nigriventroides Strand, 1907g: 426 (invalid provisional name) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020788]

Ctenus valdehirsutulus Strand, 1909h: 318 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020719]

Ctenus chilesicus Strand, 1916b: 128 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020522]

Phoneutria boliviensis Schmidt, 1954: 414, f. 7a-b (f)

Phoneutria boliviensis Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 49 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria nigriventroides Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 59 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria boliviensis Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1973a: 34, f. 4-8 (mf, S of Phoneutria colombiana, rejected by Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30, see P. depilata)

Phoneutria boliviensis Valerio, 1983: 101, f. 2 (f)

Phoneutria boliviensis Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 74, f. 6, 16, 22 (mf, S of Ctenus chilesicus, C. depilatus [revalidated by Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30], C. peregrinoides [rejected by Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30, see Phoneutria depilata], C. signativenter [nomen dubium per Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30], C. valdehirsutulus and Phoneutria nigriventroides)

Phoneutria boliviensis Martins & Bertani, 2007: 4, f. 64 (f)

Phoneutria boliviensis Jäger & Blick, 2009: 33, f. 1-3 (f)

Phoneutria boliviensis Hazzi et al., 2018: 112, f. 10D (m)

Phoneutria boliviensis Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 24, f. 1C-D, 4A-B, 5A-C, 6A-B, 9A, C, 10A-B (mf)

Phoneutria depilata (Strand, 1909) | | Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020546

Ctenus peregrinus Strand, 1909h: 318 (f, misidentified per Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30, not Phoneutria boliviensis, rejecting Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 74)

Ctenus peregrinoides Strand, 1909h: 318 (f, invalid provisional name) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:064291]

Ctenus depilatus Strand, 1909i: 413 (Dm) Original description

Phoneutria colombiana Schmidt, 1956a: 28, f. 3 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:064170]

Phoneutria boliviensis Rozwałka, Rutkowski & Bielak-Bielecki, 2017: 61, f. 1b-c (f; misidentified per Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30)

Phoneutria cf. boliviensis Cathrine & Longhorn, 2017: 13, f. 1-6 (f; misidentified per Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30)

Phoneutria depilata Hazzi & Hormiga, 2021: 30, f. 1A-B, 4C-D, 7A-C, 8A-B, 9B, D, 10C-D (mf, removed from S of Phoneutria boliviensis [rejecting Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 74], S of P. colombiana and P. peregrinoides [removed from S of P. boliviensis, rejecting Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 74])

Phoneutria eickstedtae Martins & Bertani, 2007 | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:041100

Phoneutria eickstedtae Martins & Bertani, 2007: 14, f. 8, 12, 16, 27, 31, 35, 39, 43, 47, 51, 55, 59, 68 (Dmf) Original description

Phoneutria fera Perty, 1833 | | Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Suriname, Guyana urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020785 TYPE SPECIES

Phoneutria fera Perty, 1833: 197, pl. 39, f. 3 (Df) Original description

Ctenus ferus Walckenaer, 1837: 370

Phoneutria fera C. L. Koch, 1847: 60, f. 1459 (f, Dm)

Ctenus sus Strand, 1909h: 300 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:064171]

Phoneutria fera Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 16, pl. 1, f. 32, pl. 3, f. 33 (mf)

Phoneutria fera Bücherl, 1952b: 135 (S of Phoneutria nigriventer; revalidated by Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1966: 675)

Phoneutria fera Schmidt, 1954: 419, f. 12a-b (f)

Phoneutria fera Melchers, 1963: 23, f. 11 (f, T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria fera Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1966: 675, f. 5-8, 11-12, 15-16 (mf)

Phoneutria fera Eickstedt, 1969: 33, f. 1-4 (m)

Phoneutria sus Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 65 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria fera Eickstedt, Lucas & Bücherl, 1969: 68, f. 1 (f)

Phoneutria fera Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1973a: 32 (S of Phoneutria keyserlingi, revalidated by Eickstedt, 1981: 118)

Phoneutria fera Eickstedt, 1983c: 183, f. 1, 3, 5, 7-8 (mf, S of Phoneutria sus)

Phoneutria fera Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 71, f. 8-9, 14, 25 (mf)

Phoneutria fera Martins & Bertani, 2007: 4, f. 63 (f)

Phoneutria fera Polotow & Brescovit, 2014: 351, f. 11C-D, 18A (m)

Phoneutria keyserlingi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:040986

Phoneutria fera Holmberg, 1876: 26 (misidentified per Bücherl, 1968: 89)

Ctenus ferus Keyserling, 1891: 145 (f, misidentified per F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 76, 81)

Ctenus keyserlingii F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 76, 81, pl. 3, f. 2c (Df, new name for Ctenus ferus sensu Keyserling) Original description

Ctenus luederwaldti Mello-Leitão, 1927c: 403 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:059425]

Phoneutria luederwaldti Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 18

Phoneutria holmbergi Bücherl, 1968: 89 (Df, new name for Phoneutria fera sensu Holmberg, 1876: 26 and for Ctenus keyserlingi, but erroneously chose his own younger name as valid) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:054354]

Phoneutria luederwaldti Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 55 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria holmbergi Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1973a: 32

Phoneutria keyserlingi Eickstedt, 1981: 118, f. 2, 4, 6, 8-9 (mf, removed from S of Phoneutria fera [rejecting Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1973a: 32], S of P. luederwaldti [removed from S of P. nigriventer, rejecting Eickstedt & Lucas, 1969: 75])

Phoneutria keyserlingi Martins & Bertani, 2007: 8, f. 6, 10, 14, 18, 25, 29, 33, 37, 41, 45, 49, 53, 57, 61 (mf, removed from S of Phoneutria nigriventer, rejecting Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 72)

Phoneutria keyserlingi Sherwood, 2025b: 127, f. 5M (f)

Phoneutria nigriventer (Keyserling, 1891) | | Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020787

Ctenus nigriventer Keyserling, 1891: 144, pl. 4, f. 98 (Df) Original description

Ctenus nigriventer F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 76, pl. 3, f. 2d (f)

Ctenus nigriventer Strand, 1909h: 296 (Dm)

Ctenus rufichelis Mello-Leitão, 1917a: 97, f. 15-16 (Dm) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020792]

Ctenus paca Mello-Leitão, 1922b: 41 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:059426]

Phoneutria nigriventer Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 16, pl. 1, f. 36, pl. 3, f. 34-35 (mf)

Phoneutria paca Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 18

Phoneutria nigriventer Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1966: 675, f. 1-4, 9-10, 13-14 (mf, removed from S of Phoneutria fera, rejecting Bücherl, 1952b: 135)

Phoneutria paca Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 61 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria rufichelis Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 64 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria nigriventer Eickstedt & Lucas, 1969: 75, f. 1-2 (f, S of Phoneutria luederwaldti [rejected by Eickstedt, 1981: 118, see P. keyserlingi] and P. paca)

Phoneutria nigriventer Bücherl, 1972: 19, f. 10a (f)

Phoneutria nigriventer Eickstedt, 1981: 106, f. 1, 3, 5, 7-9 (mf)

Phoneutria nigriventer Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 72, f. 3-4, 7, 10-13, 15, 24 (mf, S of Ctenus keyserlingi, C. pertyi and C. rufichelis; Phoneutria keyserlingi and P. pertyi revalidated by Martins & Bertani, 2007: 8, 11)

Phoneutria nigriventer Martins & Bertani, 2007: 5, f. 1-5, 9, 13, 17, 24, 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60 (mf)

Phoneutria nigriventer Sherwood, 2025b: 127, f. 5N-T (mf)

Phoneutria pertyi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) | | Brazil urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:040987

Ctenus rufibarbis Keyserling, 1881b: 576, pl. 16, f. 22 (f; misidentified per F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 76, 80)

Ctenus pertyi F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 76, 80 (new name for Ctenus rufibarbis sensu Keyserling) Original description

Phoneutria pertyi Martins & Bertani, 2007: 11, f. 7, 11, 15, 26, 30, 34, 38, 42, 46, 50, 54, 58, 68 (Dm, f, removed from S of Phoneutria nigriventer, rejecting Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 72)

Phoneutria reidyi (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897) | | Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Brazil, Guyana urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020790

Ctenus reidyi F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 78, pl. 3, f. 1a, 2a (Df) Original description

Ctenus andrewsi F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897b: 79, pl. 3, f. 2b (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:064169]

Ctenus forcipatus Mello-Leitão, 1922b: 39 (Df) [urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidersp:020570]

Phoneutria andrewsi Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 15, pl. 1, f. 31 (f)

Phoneutria ochracea Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 17, pl. 3, f. 37 (m; misidentified per Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 78)

Phoneutria reidyi Mello-Leitão, 1936a: 18

Phoneutria andrewsi Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 48 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria reidyi Bücherl, Lucas & Eickstedt, 1969: 61 (T from Ctenus)

Phoneutria reidyi Schiapelli & Gerschman, 1973a: 32, f. 1-3 (f, removed from S of Phoneutria rufibarbis, a nomen dubium [rejecting Eickstedt, Lucas & Bücherl, 1969: 70], S of P. andrewsi)

Phoneutria reidyi Eickstedt, 1983c: 188, f. 2, 4, 6 (mf)

Phoneutria reidyi Simó & Brescovit, 2001: 75, f. 17, 23 (mf, S of Ctenus forcipatus)

Phoneutria reidyi Martins & Bertani, 2007: 4, f. 62 (f)