Ctenus parvoculatus
| Cave Tropical Wolf Spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Ctenidae |
| Genus: | Ctenus |
| Species: | C. parvoculatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Ctenus parvoculatus Benoit, 1979[1]
| |
Ctenus parvoculatus is a species of spider in the family Ctenidae.[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the cave tropical wolf spider.[3]
Distribution
Ctenus parvoculatus is found only in South Africa across five provinces: Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Western Cape.[3] Notable locations include Table Mountain National Park, Kosi Bay Nature Reserve, and various cave systems.[3]
Habitat and ecology
The species is known from caves and forest areas in the Fynbos, Forest, Grassland, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Savanna, and Thicket biomes, at altitudes ranging from 7 to 1,583 m above sea level.[3]
Description
Ctenus parvoculatus is known only from females.[3]
Conservation
Ctenus parvoculatus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical distribution. There are no known threats to the species. The species is protected in three protected areas: Table Mountain National Park, Nkandla Forest, and Kosi Bay Nature Reserve.[3]
Taxonomy
The species was originally described by Pierre Benoit in 1979 from the Table Mountain Echo Hall Caves.[1]
References
- ^ a b Benoit, P.L.G. (1979). "Etudes sur les Ctenidae africains (Araneae) VIII. Gen. Ctenus Walck.-groupe abditus". Revue Zoologique Africaine. 93 (2): 425–444.
- ^ "Ctenus parvoculatus Benoit, 1979". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2022). The Ctenidae of South Africa. Version 2. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. p. 12. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6090166. Retrieved 21 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.