Califorctenus

Califorctenus is a genus of spiders in the family Ctenidae. It was first described in 2017 by Jiménez, Berrian, Polotow, and Palacios-Cardiel.[2] As of 2017, it contains only one species, Califorctenus cacachilensis, also known as the Sierra Cacachilas wandering spider.[1][3]

Califorctenus
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Ctenidae
Genus: Califorctenus
Species:
C. cacachilensis
Binomial name
Califorctenus cacachilensis
Jiménez, Berrian, Polotow & Palacios-Cardiel, 2017[1]

Califorctenus cacachilensis

Califorctenus cacachilensis is named after the Sierra de las Cacachilas mountain range in Baja California Sur, where it was first found in an abandoned mine by Michael Wall and Jim Berrian, researchers from the San Diego Natural History Museum, during an expedition on November 4, 2013.[4][5][6]

We think it’s a new species. The spider, from leg to leg, is about softball-sized. Its abdomen is the size of two quarters. It’s like a small-sized tarantula, but much daintier, not as husky. It’s quite bald, and its abdomen is mustard brown with iridescence.

— Michael Wall, 2014 Union-Tribune article[4]

Subsequent collaboration with María Jimenez, an entomologist from Mexico who identified it as a member of the Ctenidae or wandering spider family, confirmed it was a new species and genus.[6][7] Berrian initially noted shed exoskeletons during the 2013 expedition, and eventually found two dozen spiders, bringing eight back to San Diego for further study.[7] He received a spider bite during the expedition, which he described as "like being poked by a cactus spine and a little mild pain."[7]

References
  1. "Ctenidae". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2017-03-22.
  2. Jimenez, M. L.; Berrian, J. E.; Polotow, D.; Palacios-Cardiel, C. (2017). "Description of Califorctenus (Cteninae, Ctenidae, Araneae), a new spider genus from Mexico". Zootaxa. 4238 (1): 97–108. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4238.1.7. PMID 28264270.(subscription required)
  3. "New species alert: Massive, cave-dwelling spider discovered in Mexico". CBS News. April 13, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2017.
  4. Brennan, Deborah Sullivan (26 January 2014). "Discovering the secrets of Baja". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  5. Vanderplank, Sula (4 November 2013). "Nov 4th, Day 15, Monday: MINE-O-MINE!". Phytophilia [Official blog of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas]. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2017. Finally we stopped at an abandoned mine and were led down the shaft by the mine manager. There were no plants there in the darkness, but our headlights soon revealed treasures amongst the overwhelming numbers of cockroaches! There was a mouse on her nest and what might be a new species of large cave spider (according to arachnologist Jim Berrian). Going deeper into the mine shaft we found the bats, and bat expert Drew Stokes caught a lesser long-nosed bat.
  6. Robertson, Michelle (7 April 2017). "Baseball-sized spider discovered in Baja California mine". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 7 April 2017.
  7. Brennan, Deborah Sullivan (4 April 2017). "Saucer-sized spider discovered in Baja cave". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 7 April 2017.


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