• @[email protected]
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    1310 months ago

    I’m from Australia and I always thought it was on the top. Turns out our black widow, affectionately known as a redback, has the marking on top. Not sure if the two are actually related, though.

    • @I_Fart_Glitter
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      10 months ago

      Yes, they are all in the Latrodectus family, all have venom containing the neurotoxin latrotoxin, which causes latrodectism (pain, vomiting, muscle rigidity, sweating).

      Australian Redbacks are Latrodectus hasseltii:

      New Zealand Katipo are Latrodectus katipo:

      Western Black Widows are Latrodectus hesperus:

      Southern Black Widows are Latrodectus mactans:

      Female:

      Male:

      Northern Black Widows are Latrodectus variolus:

      European Black Widows are Latrodectus tredecimguttatus:

      South American Black Widows are Latrodectus corallinus:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latrodectus

      • @[email protected]
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        10 months ago

        I used to be in a black widow-free area but it seems that European “13 spots” one is now starting to show up here.

        Probably not good news.