Summary ²

Latrodectus mactans, or Southern black widow or simply black widow, is a highly venomous species of spider in the genus Latrodectus. They are well known for the distinctive black and red coloring of the female of the species and for the fact that she will occasionally eat her mate after reproduction. The species is native to North America. The venom is seldom fatal to healthy humans.

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Tiziano Barberi, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), http://www.flickr.com/photos/32977602@N03/3221622364
2. (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latrodectus_mactans

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Animal Diversity Web
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• BugGuide
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• Maryland Biodiversity Project
• NatureServe Explorer 2.0
• World Spider Catalog (WSC)

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