POLOTOW Daniele, Brazil

Support via: 2009 ext call

Abstract

The family Ctenidae is composed of small to large sized spiders (between 4.0 to 40.0 millimetres total body length), with nocturnal and cursorial habits. According to Platnick (2008) the family includes, to date, more than 455 species distributed among 39 genera, abundant in tropical forests all over the world. Ctenidae was proposed to include the genus Ctenus, with the type species C. dubius Walckenaer from the French Guiana. The immature type specimen designated by the author was lost and the original description was superficial. Because of the lack of knowledge of the type species, for several years species clearly not related were described in this genus. To understanding of the taxonomy of the family Ctenidae it is necessary to examine the type specimens of the genera and species included in Ctenidae, making new illustrations and pictures of their diagnostic structures.

Training location: Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren.

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