A species of black widow (<i>Latrodectus hesperus</i> Chamberlain & Ivie) found in Olancho, Honduras
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5377/rct.v0i5.518Keywords:
Black widow, Spiders, Arachnidae, Theridiidae, Lactrodectus, Honduras, neurotoxic poison, Black spiders bitesAbstract
It is reported the finding of a black widow (Arachnidae, Theridiidae) collected in San Esteban, Olancho on June 28 2009 among bark of Oak (Quercus sp.) in decomposition. The black widow was identified as Lactrodectus hesperus Chamberlain & Ivie, according to the bibliography searched, Lactrodectus hesperus is specie reported for first time in Honduras and in the Central american region. A peculiar behavior of the black widow that gave its name is that occasionally the females can eat the male after intercourse, that behavior can be explained because the female will need extra proteins and other nutrients to laid the eggs and to build the egg sac. The black widow spider´s poison is about fifteen times more neurotoxic than rattle snakes. But because when the spider bites, the poison injected is very little, it rarely it kills the victim.
Key Words: Black widow; Spiders; Arachnidae; Theridiidae; Lactrodectus; Honduras; neurotoxic poison; Black spiders bites.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/rct.v0i5.518
Revista Ciencia y Tecnología, No. 5, Segunda época, Diciembre 2009: 37-46
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