''Ctenus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial n ...

of wandering spiders first described by

Charles Athanase Walckenaer Baron Charles Athanase Walckenaer (25 December 1771 – 28 April 1852) was a French civil servant and scientist. Biography Walckenaer was born in Paris and studied at the universities of Oxford and Glasgow. In 1793 he was appointed head of t ...

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 ''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''; howev ...

'' has been shown to share some toxic properties with ''

Phoneutria nigriventer ''Phoneutria nigriventer'' is a species of medically significant spider in the family Ctenidae, found in the Southern Cone of South America (Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina). Along with other members of the genus, they are often ref ...

'', such as

proteolytic Proteolysis is the breakdown of proteins into smaller polypeptides or amino acids. Uncatalysed, the hydrolysis of peptide bonds is extremely slow, taking hundreds of years. Proteolysis is typically catalysed by cellular enzymes called proteases ...

hyaluronidase Hyaluronidases are a family of enzymes that catalyse the degradation of hyaluronic acid (HA). Karl Meyer classified these enzymes in 1971, into three distinct groups, a scheme based on the enzyme reaction products. The three main types of hyalu ...

and

phospholipase A phospholipase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes phospholipids into fatty acids and other lipophilic substances. Acids trigger the release of bound calcium from cellular stores and the consequent increase in free cytosolic Ca2+, an essential step i ...

activities, in addition to producing

hyperalgesia Hyperalgesia ( or ; 'hyper' from Greek ὑπέρ (huper, “over”), '-algesia' from Greek algos, ἄλγος (pain)) is an abnormally increased sensitivity to pain, which may be caused by damage to nociceptors or peripheral nerves and ca ...

and

edema Edema, also spelled oedema, and also known as fluid retention, dropsy, hydropsy and swelling, is the build-up of fluid in the body's tissue. Most commonly, the legs or arms are affected. Symptoms may include skin which feels tight, the area ma ...

. The venom of ''C. medius'' also interferes with the

complement system The complement system, also known as complement cascade, is a part of the immune system that enhances (complements) the ability of antibodies and phagocytic cells to clear microbes and damaged cells from an organism, promote inflammation, and ...

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 Complement component 3, often simply called C3, is a protein of the immune system. It plays a central role in the complement system and contributes to innate immunity. In humans it is encoded on chromosome 19 by a gene called ''C3''. Function C ...

(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.

Species

it contains 157 species: *'' C. abditus'' Arts, 1912 – Congo, Tanzania *'' C. adustus'' (

Keyserling Keyserling is the surname of several members of the noble House of Keyserlingk: * Alexander Keyserling (1815–1891), Russian geologist, paleontologist, botanist and zoologist * Eugen von Keyserling (1833–1889), German arachnologist * Hermann ...

, 1877) – Colombia *'' C. agroecoides'' ( Thorell, 1881) – Australia (Queensland) *'' C. albofasciatus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Brazil *'' C. alienus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Guatemala *'' C. amanensis''

Strand Strand may refer to: Topography *The flat area of land bordering a body of water, a: ** Beach ** Shoreline * Strand swamp, a type of swamp habitat in Florida Places Africa *Strand, Western Cape, a seaside town in South Africa *Strand Street, ...

, 1907 – East Africa *'' C. amphora'' Mello-Leitão, 1930 – Colombia, Brazil, Guyana *'' C. anahitaeformis'' Benoit, 1981 – Burundi *'' C. anahitiformis'' Strand, 1909 – Brazil *'' C. auricomus'' Arts, 1912 – Central, East Africa *'' C. avidus'' Bryant, 1948 – Hispaniola *'' C. bahamensis'' Strand, 1907 – Bahama Is. *'' C. bicolor'' ( Bertkau, 1880) – Brazil *'' C. bigibbosus'' Benoit, 1980 – Congo *'' C. bilobatus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Mexico *'' C. blumenauensis'' Strand, 1909 – Brazil *'' C. bolivicola'' Strand, 1907 – Bolivia *'' C. bueanus'' Strand, 1916 – Cameroon *'' C. calcaratus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Guatemala *'' C. calderitas'' Alayón, 2002 – Mexico *'' C. caligineus'' Arts, 1912 – Central, East Africa *'' C. captiosus''

Gertsch Willis John Gertsch (October 4, 1906 – December 12, 1998) was an American arachnologist. He described over 1,000 species of spiders, scorpions, and other arachnids, including the Brown recluse spider and the Tooth cave spider. Gertsch was born ...

, 1935 – USA *'' C. capulinus'' ( Karsch, 1879) – West, Central Africa *'' C. catherine'' Polotow & Brescovit, 2012 – Jamaica *'' C. cavaticus'' Arts, 1912 – Congo, Angola *'' C. celisi'' Benoit, 1981 – Congo *'' C. coccineipes'' Pocock, 1903 – West, Central Africa *'' C. colombianus'' Mello-Leitão, 1941 – Colombia *'' C. colonicus'' Arts, 1912 – East Africa *'' C. complicatus'' Franganillo, 1946 – Cuba *'' C. constrictus'' Benoit, 1981 – Congo *'' C. convexus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Mexico to Costa Rica *'' C. cruciatus'' Franganillo, 1930 – Cuba *'' C. crulsi'' Mello-Leitão, 1930 – Brazil *'' C. darlingtoni'' Bryant, 1948 – Hispaniola *'' C. datus'' Strand, 1909 – Ecuador *'' C. decemnotatus''

Simon Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

, 1910 – Guinea-Bissau *'' C. decorus'' ( Gerstäcker, 1873) – East Africa *'' C. delesserti'' (

Caporiacco Ludovico di Caporiacco (22 January 1900, in Udine – 18 July 1951, in Parma) was an Italian arachnologist. Caporiacco took part in an expedition to the Jebel Uweinat, a mountain massif in the boundary region of Sudan, Libya, and Egypt. On t ...

, 1947) – Guyana *'' C. denticulatus'' Benoit, 1981 – Congo *'' C. dilucidus'' Simon, 1910 – Congo *'' C. doloensis'' Caporiacco, 1940 – Ethiopia *'' C. drassoides'' (Karsch, 1879) – Colombia *'' C. dreyeri'' Strand, 1906 – Cameroon *'' C. dubius'' Walckenaer, 1805 (

type Type may refer to: Science and technology Computing * Typing, producing text via a keyboard, typewriter, etc. * Data type, collection of values used for computations. * File type * TYPE (DOS command), a command to display contents of a file. * Ty ...

) – French Guiana *'' C. efferatus'' Arts, 1912 – Congo *'' C. elgonensis'' Benoit, 1978 – Kenya *'' C. ellacomei'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902 – Suriname *'' C. embolus'' Benoit, 1981 – Congo *'' C. ensiger'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Mexico *'' C. esculentus'' Arts, 1912 – Cameroon, Congo *'' C. excavatus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Mexico *'' C. exlineae'' Peck, 1981 – USA *'' C. facetus'' Arts, 1912 – Congo, East Africa *'' C. falcatus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902 – St. Lucia *'' C. falciformis'' Benoit, 1981 – Congo *'' C. falconensis'' Schenkel, 1953 – Venezuela *'' C. fasciatus'' Mello-Leitão, 1943 – Brazil *'' C. fernandae'' Brescovit & Simó, 2007 – Brazil *'' C. feshius'' Benoit, 1979 – Congo *'' C. guantanamo'' (Alayón, 2001) – Cuba *'' C. gulosus'' Arts, 1912 – South Africa *'' C. haina'' Alayón, 2004 – Hispaniola *'' C. haitiensis'' Strand, 1909 – Hispaniola *'' C. hibernalis''

Hentz Hentz is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Caroline Lee Hentz (1800–1856), American novelist and author * Charlie Hentz (born 1948), American basketball player * Eta Hentz (1895-1986), Hungarian-American fashion designer * Mo ...

, 1844 – USA *'' C. hiemalis'' Bryant, 1948 – Hispaniola *'' C. holmi'' Benoit, 1978 – Kenya *'' C. humilis'' (Keyserling, 1887) – Nicaragua *'' C. hygrophilus'' Benoit, 1977 – Congo *'' C. idjwiensis'' Benoit, 1979 – Congo *'' C. igatu'' Polotow, Cizauskas & Brescovit, 2022 – Brazil *'' C. inaja'' Höfer, Brescovit & Gasnier, 1994 – Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil *'' C. insulanus'' Bryant, 1948 – Hispaniola *'' C. jaminauensis'' Mello-Leitão, 1936 – Brazil *'' C. jaragua'' Alayón, 2004 – Hispaniola *'' C. kenyamontanus'' Benoit, 1978 – Kenya *'' C. kipatimus'' Benoit, 1981 – Tanzania *'' C. lacertus'' Benoit, 1979 – Congo *'' C. latitabundus'' Arts, 1912 – Central, East Africa *'' C. lejeunei'' Benoit, 1977 – Congo *'' C. leonardi'' Simon, 1910 – West Africa *'' C. levipes'' Arts, 1912 – Tanzania *'' C. longicalcar'' Kraus, 1955 – El Salvador *'' C. lubwensis'' Benoit, 1979 – Congo *'' C. macellarius'' Simon, 1910 – Congo *'' C. maculatus'' Franganillo, 1931 – Cuba *'' C. maculisternis'' Strand, 1909 – Bolivia, Brazil *'' C. magnificus'' Arts, 1912 – West Africa *'' C. malvernensis'' Petrunkevitch, 1910 – Jamaica *'' C. manauara'' Höfer, Brescovit & Gasnier, 1994 – Brazil *'' C. manni'' Bryant, 1948 – Hispaniola *'' C. medius'' Keyserling, 1891 – Panama, Brazil *'' C. minimus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – North America *'' C. minor'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Brazil *'' C. mitchelli'' Gertsch, 1971 – Mexico *'' C. modestus'' Simon, 1897 – Tanzania (Zanzibar, Kenya) *'' C. monticola'' Bryant, 1948 – Hispaniola *'' C. musosanus'' Benoit, 1979 – Congo *'' C. naranjo'' Alayón, 2004 – Hispaniola *'' C. nigritarsis'' (Pavesi, 1897) – Ethiopia *'' C. nigritus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Brazil *'' C. nigrolineatus''

Berland Berland is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bjørn Berland (born 1977), Norwegian footballer * Eliezer Berland (born 1937), Israeli Breslov rabbi * François Berland (born 1958), French actor * Gary Berland (1950–1988), Ame ...

, 1913 – Ecuador *'' C. nigromaculatus'' Thorell, 1899 – Central, West Africa *'' C. noctuabundus'' Arts, 1912 – Kenya *'' C. obscurus'' (Keyserling, 1877) – Colombia *'' C. oligochronius'' Arts, 1912 – East Africa *'' C. ornatus'' (Keyserling, 1877) – Brazil *'' C. ottleyi'' (Petrunkevitch, 1930) – Puerto Rico *'' C. paranus'' Strand, 1909 – Brazil *'' C. parvoculatus'' Benoit, 1979 – South Africa *'' C. parvus'' (Keyserling, 1877) – Colombia *'' C. paubrasil'' Brescovit & Simó, 2007 – Brazil *'' C. pauloterrai'' Brescovit & Simó, 2007 – Brazil *'' C. peregrinus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Guatemala, Costa Rica *'' C. pilosus'' Franganillo, 1930 – Cuba *'' C. pogonias'' Thorell, 1899 – Cameroon *'' C. potteri'' Simon, 1901 – Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea (Bioko) *'' C. pulchriventris'' (Simon, 1897) – Zimbabwe, South Africa *'' C. racenisi'' Caporiacco, 1955 – Venezuela *'' C. ramosi'' Alayón, 2002 – Cuba *'' C. ravidus'' (Simon, 1886) – Argentina *'' C. rectipes'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Brazil, Guyana *'' C. renivulvatus'' Strand, 1906 – Ghana *'' C. rivulatus'' Pocock, 1900 – Cameroon, Gabon *'' C. rubripes'' Keyserling, 1881 – Panama, Ecuador *'' C. rwandanus'' Benoit, 1981 – Rwanda *'' C. saltensis'' Strand, 1909 – Argentina, Bolivia *'' C. satanas'' Strand, 1909 – Ecuador *'' C. serratipes'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil *'' C. serrichelis'' Mello-Leitão, 1922 – Brazil *'' C. sexmaculatus'' Roewer, 1961 – Senegal *'' C. siankaan'' Alayón, 2002 – Mexico *'' C. sigma'' (Schenkel, 1953) – Venezuela *'' C. silvaticus'' Benoit, 1981 – Congo *'' C. similis'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Brazil *'' C. somaliensis'' Benoit, 1979 – Somalia *'' C. spectabilis'' Lessert, 1921 – DR Congo, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa *'' C. spiculus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897 – Colombia *'' C. spiralis'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Costa Rica *'' C. supinus'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1900 – Costa Rica *'' C. tenuipes'' Denis, 1955 – Guinea *'' C. torvus'' Pavesi, 1883 – Ethiopia *'' C. transvaalensis'' Benoit, 1981 – South Africa *'' C. trinidensis'' (Alayón, 2001) – Trinidad *'' C. uluguruensis'' Benoit, 1979 – Tanzania *'' C. undulatus'' Steyn & Van der Donckt, 2003 – Ivory Coast *'' C. unilineatus'' Simon, 1898 – St. Vincent *'' C. vagus''

Blackwall Blackwall may refer to: Places *Blackwall, London, an area of east London, UK **Blackwall Tunnel, the main crossing of the River Thames in east London **Blackwall Yard, a former shipyard **The former shipyard at Leamouth, London of Thames Ironwor ...

, 1866 – West Africa *'' C. validus'' Denis, 1955 – Guinea *'' C. valverdiensis'' Peck, 1981 – USA *'' C. vatovae'' Caporiacco, 1940 – Ethiopia *'' C. vehemens'' Keyserling, 1891 – Brazil *'' C. vespertilio'' Mello-Leitão, 1941 – Colombia *'' C. villasboasi'' Mello-Leitão, 1949 – Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil *'' C. vividus'' Blackwall, 1865 – Central Africa *'' C. w-notatus'' Petrunkevitch, 1925 – Panama *'' C. walckenaeri'' Griffith, 1833 – possibly South America

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q609703 Araneomorphae genera Cosmopolitan spiders Ctenidae Taxa named by Charles Athanase Walckenaer