Ctenus hibernalis
Hentz, 1844
Alabama wandering spider
Ctenus hibernalis, commonly known as the Alabama wandering spider, is a wandering spider in the Ctenidae. The was originally described by Nicholas Marcellus Hentz in 1844 as *Ctenus hybernalis*, with the spelling later altered to *hibernalis* by Nathan Banks in 1898—an unjustified emendation under zoological . Molecular phylogenetic analyses place this species in a well-supported clade of North American Ctenus species distinct from other members of the , suggesting a single event of the genus into the United States.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Ctenus hibernalis: //ˈktɛ.nəs ˌhaɪ.bɚˈnæl.ɪs//
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Identification
The belongs to the wandering spider Ctenidae, characterized by active hunting without web-building. Specific diagnostic morphological features for distinguishing C. hibernalis from are not documented in the provided sources. The Ctenus can be distinguished from similar wandering spiders by arrangement and other cephalothoracic features typical of the family.
Images
Habitat
Typically observed in rocky mixed woodlands, often near streams or other sources of water. Has been recorded occasionally entering human structures.
Distribution
Southeastern United States, known almost exclusively from Alabama with a small number of records from neighboring Georgia.
Behavior
Active hunter that does not build webs to capture prey, consistent with the wandering spider lifestyle characteristic of the Ctenidae.
Human Relevance
Occasionally recorded entering human structures based on observation data.
Similar Taxa
- Ctenus exlineaeBelongs to the same North American clade of Ctenus , distributed in Arkansas
- Ctenus captiosusBelongs to the same North American clade of Ctenus , distributed in Florida
- Ctenus valverdiensisBelongs to the same North American clade of Ctenus , distributed in Texas
- Ctenus mitchelliBelongs to the same North American clade of Ctenus , distributed in Mexico
More Details
Nomenclatural Note
The original spelling *hybernalis* (Hentz, 1844) was altered to *hibernalis* by Banks (1898) without justification, constituting an unjustified emendation. The emended spelling *hibernalis* became prevalent in later literature and databases through usage by Gertsch (1935) and Peck (1981), though efforts to restore the original spelling have appeared in mid-2020s databases.
Phylogenetic Position
Molecular phylogenetic and phylogenomic studies consistently recover C. hibernalis and four other North American (C. exlineae, C. captiosus, C. valverdiensis, C. mitchelli) as a distinct from other Ctenus species, suggesting a single event of the into the United States.