History:
In 1897 Reginald Innes POCOCK was able to etablish the genus Ceratogyurs on the basis of a female C. darlingi. The habit of the typespecies was Chivhu in Zimbabwe. The male was unknown until Andrew M. SMITH described it in the year 1987. POCOCK described in his paper also the male of C. marshalli. Similar with C. darlingi was the female unkown until J. I. DE WET & Ansie S. DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN described in 1991 C. cornuatus which turned later out to be the female of C. marshalli.
The most important modern paper about the genus are book "Baboon Spiders" written by A.M. SMITH in 1990, the 1991 published revision of the genus Ceratogyrus by J. I. DE WET & Ansie S. DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN and finally the 2001 released revision of the the Ceratogyrus spp. formerly included in Coelogenium by Richard C. GALLON. Especially the 2001 revsion redefine the key features of the genus. GALLON synonymised the genus Coelogenium PURCELL, 1902 with Ceratogyrus. The reason for this synonym was on the basis that both genus share lots of features. Those unique features are the strong procurved fovea and a pale transverse band (sub-abdominal band = SAB) over the booklung region. The only other Harpactirinae with such a SAB is Augacephalus GALLON, 2002. They differ from Ceratogyrus by the present of robust palpi and leg I+II. GALLON described in July 2005 the species C.paulseni which possess a transverse fovea and lacks a pale subabdominal band. Only the female is described at the moment and it is possible that the classification will be changed when the male is detected.
After both revsions (J. I. DE WET & Ansie S. DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, 1991 and GALLON, 2001) the number of member are current 11 species.
The mainarea of circulation is the southern Africa.
Key features of the genus:
- Fovea procurved (Fig. 64
), in part with obvious protuberance (Fig. 46 ). Only exception is C. paulseni which has a transverse fovea. - Sub-abdominal band in the booklung region (Fig. 58 ). Only exception is C. paulseni which lacks such a pale band.
- Venter of palpi and leg I-II are in darker and in different colour than the venter of leg III-IV
- Chelicerae with numerous long emergent setae
- Scopulae on the chelicerae retrolateral present (s. P. chordatus )
- Scopulae on the chelicerae prolateral absent (s. P. lugardi )
- medium-sized up to large Harpactirinae (female: ~30-60mm, male: ~20-30mm)
- Distal segment
of posterior spinneret digitiform (Fig. 108 )
- Tarsal scopulae undivided (s. P. chordatus )
- Metatarsal scopulae on leg I, II and III undivided (s. P. chordatus )
- Metatarsal scopulae on leg IV bisected longitudinally by band of stiffened setae (s. P. chordatus )
- Spermathecae paired, without terminal lobs (Fig. 59 )
Species:
| Ceratogyrus dolichocephalus HEWITT, 1919 | |
 |
Distribution: Zimbabwe Coloration: Legs, palpi, abdomen and carapace brown/beige. Chelicerae grey. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Carapace with yellow/brownish radial striae and dark "mask" around ocular tubercle. Venter of abdomen dark brown with pale sub-abdominal band over and between anterior booklung covers. Posterior booklung covers light brown. Sternum and coxa velvety black. Ventral leg pattern see figure (Fig. 25). Fovea: large, deep "U" shaped fovea surounding a small extension of the caput (Fig. 24 )Spermathecae: slightly medial constricted (Fig. 26 )Palpal bulb: pyriform, with weakly flexed, curved embolus. Embolic tip slightly inflected when viewed retrolaterally. (Figs. 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 ).Body length: male ~30mm, female ~40mm |
| Ceratogyrus ezendami GALLON 2001 | |
 |
Distribution: Mozambique Coloration: Legs, palpi, abdomen and carapace grey/beige. Chelicerae grey. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Carapace with grey/beige radial striae and dark "mask" around ocular tubercle. Venter of abdomen grey/beige with pale sub-abdominal band over and between the anterior and posterior booklung covers. Sternum and coxa velvety black. Ventral leg pattern see figure (Fig. 33 ).Fovea: procurved (Fig. 31 )Spermathecae: slightly medial constricted, slightly turn inwards (Fig. 34 )Palpal bulb: pyriform, with thick, squat, curved embolus. Two distinct retroventral sub-kneels on embolus (Figs. 28 , 29 , 30 ).Body length: male ~25mm, female ~35mm |
| Ceratogyrus hillyardi (SMITH, 1990) | |
 |
Distribution: Malawi Coloration: (in Alcohol) Legs, palpi, abdomen and carapace brown. Chelicerae grey. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Carapace with dark "mask" around ocular tubercle. Venter of abdomen dark brown with pale sub-abdominal band over and between the anterior booklung covers. Posterior booklung covers orange with grizzled pale in-between them. Sternum and coxa velvety black. Ventral leg pattern see figure (Fig. 38 ). Fovea: procurved (Fig. 36 )Spermathecae: not medial constricted (Fig. 39 )Palpal bulb: unkown Body length: male unkown, female ~45mm |
| Ceratogyrus marshalli POCOCK, 1897 | |
 |
Distribution: Zimbabwe and Mozambique Coloration: Legs, palpi, abdomen and chelicerae grey/beige. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Carapace grey/brown with golden radial striae and dark "mask" around ocular tubercle. Venter of abdomen dark brown with pale sub-abdominal band over and between the anterior and posterior booklung covers. Sternum and coxa velvety black. Ventral leg pattern see figure Fig. 49 . Fovea: Protuberance conical, sub-vertical slightly turn towards abdomen (Fig. 46 ). Protuberance can be very similar with C. bechuanicus or C. darlingi.Spermathecae: slightly medial constricted (Fig. 50 )Palpal bulb: pyriform with curved, embolus. Embolic tip inflected when viewed retrolaterally (Figs. 40 , 41 , 42 , 42 ). Body length: male ~35mm, female ~60mm |
| Ceratogyrus meridionalis (HIRST, 1907) | |
 |
Distribution: Malawi and Mozambique Coloration: Legs, palpi and chelicerae dark grey. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Carapace black with prominent yellow/brown radial striae and dark "mask" around ocular tubercle. Dorsum of abdomen beige with dark pattern of bars, spots and reticulations. Venter of abdomen dark grey with pale sub-abdominal band over and between the anterior and posterior booklung covers. Sternum and coxa velvety black. Ventral leg pattern see figure (Fig. 58 ). Fovea: procurved (Fig. 56 )Spermathecae: medial constricted, flatted on the cross-section (Fig. 59 )Palpal bulb: pyriform with curved embolus. Embolic tip characteristically truncated when viewed retrolaterally (Figs. 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ). Body length: male ~35mm, female ~60mm |
| Ceratogyrus paulseni GALLON, 2005 | |
 |
Distribution: South Africa Coloration: Legs, palpi and chelicerae ash-grey. Femora of all legs black. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Carapace black with prominent beige radial striae. Dorsum of abdomens beige. Venter of abdomens mottled beige. Sternum and coxa grey/black. Ventral leg pattern see figure (Fig. 172 ).Fovea: transverse (Fig. 171 )Spermathecae: sub-triangular, terminal parts curved slightly inwards (Fig. 169 , Fig. 170 )Palpal bulb: unknown Body length: male unknown, female ~28mm |
| Ceratogyrus pillansi (PURCELL, 1902) | |
 |
Distribution: Zimbabwe and Mozambique Coloration: (in Alcohol) Legs, palpi, carapace and chelicerae brown. Leg and palp joints are pale yellow. Carapace with pale radial striae. Dorsum of abdomen mustard brown with dark pattern of bars, spots and reticulations. Venter of abdomen mustard brown with pale sub-abdominal band over and between the anterior booklung covers and genital sclerite. Posterior booklung covers pale yellow with grizzled band in-between. Sternum and coxa velvety black. Ventral leg pattern see figure (Fig. 66 ).Fovea: small and procurved (Fig. 64 )Spermathecae: medial constricted (Fig. 67 )Palpal bulb: pyriform with cstrongly curved embolus (Figs. 61 , 62 , 63 ).Body length: male ~30mm, female ~35mm |
Synonyms:
C. cornuatus DE WET & DIPPENAAR-SCHOEMAN, 1991 = C. marshalli POCOCK, 1897
C. schultzei PURCELL, 1908 = C. bechuanicus PURCELL, 1902
Coelogenium hillyardi SMITH, 1990 = C. hillyardi (SMITH, 1990)
Coelogenium pillansi PURCELL, 1902 = C. pillansi (PURCELL, 1902)
Pterinochilus meridionalis HIRST, 1907 = C. meridionalis (HIRST, 1907)
Coelogenium nigrifemur SCHMIDT, 1995 = Augacephalus junodi (SIMON, 1904)
Coelogenium raveni SMITH, 1990 = Pterinochilus chordatus (GERSTÄCKER, 1873)