Wandering-spiders
Guides
Anahita
Anahita is a genus of wandering spiders in the family Ctenidae, established by Karsch in 1879. The genus name derives from an Iranian goddess associated with waters and fertility. These spiders are part of the diverse tropical and subtropical spider fauna, with species distributed across parts of Asia and Africa. As ctenids, they possess characteristic eye arrangements and are active hunters rather than web-builders.
Ctenus
Tropical Wandering Spiders
Ctenus is a genus of wandering spiders in the family Ctenidae, first described by Walckenaer in 1805. It comprises approximately 155 species with a broad distribution spanning South America, Africa, and East Asia. Species in this genus are abundant in tropical rainforest leaf litter, where they serve as active predators and have become model organisms for studying predator ecology in ground-dwelling arthropod communities. Some species, particularly C. medius, possess venom with documented proteolytic, hyaluronidase, and phospholipase activities, with potential medical significance due to complement system interference.
Zoropsidae
False Wolf Spiders
Zoropsidae, commonly known as false wolf spiders, is a family of cribellate araneomorph spiders first described by Philipp Bertkau in 1882. The family includes approximately 180 species across 28 genera as of 2026. Members are wandering spiders that bear superficial resemblance to wolf spiders (Lycosidae) but are distinguished by their eye arrangement. The family has undergone taxonomic revision, with Tengellidae and Zorocratidae now included within Zoropsidae. One species, Zoropsis spinimana, has been introduced to the United States.