{{Short description|Species of spider}} {{Speciesbox | image = | genus = Ctenus | species = captiosus | authority = Gertsch, 1935 }}
'''''Ctenus captiosus''''', known generally as the '''Florida false wolf spider''' or '''tropical wolf spider''', is a species of wandering spider in the family Ctenidae. It is found in the United States,<ref name=itis/><ref name=gbif/><ref name=spidercat/><ref name=buglink/> and is one of two species of Ctenidae occurring in Florida. Little is known about the biology of this species.<ref name=fdacs/>
==Description== The body length (excluding legs) of a male is {{convert|10-14|mm|abbr=on}}, and for females {{convert|10-15|mm|abbr=on}}. The leg span may be as long as {{convert|75|mm|abbr=on}}. The abdomen is a yellow-gray except for a pale median band consisting of a series of connected triangles edged by brown. The dorsal surface of the legs are dark like the carapace, but the underside of the legs and sternum are much paler, almost yellow. They prefer mesic habitats, and are most commonly seen in the springtime, presumably as they are searching for mates as the weather warms. Generally, ''C. captiosus'' can be found in both oak and pine trees, leaf litter, and caves.<ref name=fdacs/> ''Ctenus captiosus'' has also appeared in large numbers in summer in pond pine and sand pine scrub, and in the fall in flatwoods.<ref name=americanarachnology/>
==Toxicology== A study conducted by researchers at Lewis & Clark College on a single female ''C. captiosus'' found that it carried a total venom protein of 604.25.<ref name=lclark/> It has been reported{{by whom|date=July 2025}} that a bite from this species is described as a needle-like puncture with subsequent swelling about the site, nausea, dizziness, and flulike symptoms that persist for several days.{{fact|date=July 2025}} Another case implicated a cause of a necrotic bite, although evidence was circumstantial and an assay of the venom did not find Sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase D.<ref name=ufl/>
While there have been reports of bites being harmful to humans, there is no substantial research or evidence that supports this.{{fact|date=July 2025}}
==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name=itis> {{Cite web| title=''Ctenus captiosus'' Report | url=https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=877450 | website=Integrated Taxonomic Information System | accessdate=2019-09-23 }}</ref>
<ref name=lclark>{{cite journal |last1=Binford |first1=Greta J |last2=Wells |first2=Michael A |title=The phylogenetic distribution of sphingomyelinase D activity in venoms of Haplogyne spiders |journal=Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology |date=May 2003 |volume=135 |issue=1 |pages=25–33 |doi=10.1016/S1096-4959(03)00045-9 |pmid=12781970 }}</ref>
<ref name=americanarachnology>{{cite journal |last1=Corey |first1=David T. |last2=Taylor |first2=Walter K. |title=Ground Surface Spiders in Three Central Florida Plant Communities |journal=The Journal of Arachnology |date=1988 |volume=16 |issue=2 |pages=213–221 |id={{BHL page|52977705}} |jstor=3705755 |url=https://www.americanarachnology.org/journal-joa/joa-all-volumes/detail/article/download/JoA_v16_p213.pdf/ }}</ref>
<ref name=ufl> {{Cite web| title=brown recluse spider | url=https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/spiders/brown_recluse_spider.htm | website=ufl | accessdate=2020-05-12 }}</ref>
<ref name=fdacs>{{cite magazine |first1=G. B. |last1=Edwards |date=June 1989 |title=The Florida false wolf spider, ''Ctenus captiosus'' (Araneae: Ctenidae) |magazine=Entomology Circular |issue=319 |url=https://thefsca.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/ent319.pdf }}</ref>
<ref name=gbif> {{Cite web| title=''Ctenus captiosus'' | url=https://www.gbif.org/species/5170147 | website=GBIF | accessdate=2019-09-23 }}</ref>
<ref name=spidercat> {{Cite web| title=''Ctenus captiosus'' | url=https://wsc.nmbe.ch/species/7797 | website=NMBE World Spider Catalog | accessdate=2019-09-23 }}</ref>
<ref name=buglink> {{Cite web| title=''Ctenus captiosus'' species Information | url=https://bugguide.net/node/view/508903 | website=BugGuide.net | accessdate=2019-09-23 }}</ref> }}
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Category:Ctenidae Category:Articles created by Qbugbot Category:Spiders described in 1935 Category:Endemic spiders of the United States
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