Ctenus transvaalensis

Transvaal Tropical Wolf Spider
	Female
	Female
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Ctenidae
Genus:	Ctenus
Species:	C. transvaalensis
Binomial name
	Ctenus transvaalensis; Benoit, 1981

Ctenus transvaalensis is a species of spider in the family Ctenidae.^[2] It is endemic to South Africa and is commonly known as the Transvaal tropical wandering spider (or Transvaal tropical wolf spider but which may confuse with distant relatives in the family Lycosidae).^[3]

Distribution

Ctenus transvaalensis is found only in South Africa across the provinces Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga.^[3] The species has been recorded from six protected areas including Kruger National Park and Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve.^[3]

Habitat and ecology

The species is a ground dweller living in burrows without trapdoors in the Savanna and Grassland biomes, at altitudes ranging from 256 to 1,516 m above sea level.^[3]

Description

Conservation

Ctenus transvaalensis is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical distribution. The species is protected in six protected areas including Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, and Blouberg Nature Reserve.^[3]

Taxonomy

The species was originally described by Pierre Benoit in 1981 from a male collected at Woodbush in Limpopo.^[1] This is possibly the male of Ctenus gulosus Arts, 1912.^[3]

References

1 2 Benoit, P.L.G. (1981). "Etudes sur les Ctenidae africains (Araneae) XI. Etude des mâles isolés". Revue Zoologique Africaine. 95: 29–44.
↑ "Ctenus transvaalensis Benoit, 1981". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
1 2 3 4 5 6 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. 15. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6090166. Retrieved 21 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[benoit1981-1] 1 2 Benoit, P.L.G. (1981). "Etudes sur les Ctenidae africains (Araneae) XI. Etude des mâles isolés". Revue Zoologique Africaine. 95: 29–44.

[wsc-2] "Ctenus transvaalensis Benoit, 1981". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 21 September 2025.

[dippenaar2022-3] 1 2 3 4 5 6 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. 15. doi:10.5281/zenodo.6090166. Retrieved 21 September 2025. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.

[2]

[3]

[1]