# Steatoda capensis



## Violet (Sep 10, 2009)

Just a couple of bad photos of one of my female Steatoda capensis. I just moved her into a new setup, their pretty common here in New Zealand. I caught this one in my garden. 













Darkling beetles


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## Widowman10 (Sep 10, 2009)

a few questions if you don't mind.

do the steatoda in your region generally lack dorsal markings, or is it just the picture? i do not seem to see any markings at all on the spider, although i understand capensis sometimes lack markings.

correct me if i'm wrong, but NZ has 3 species of Latrodectus (2 indigenous, 1 introduced): L. katipo (red katipo), L. atritus (black katipo), and L. hasselti (redback). they also have 4 species of steatoda, capensis (false katipo) and grossa being the introduced species, the 2 indigenous being truncata and lepida.

what are the ventral markings like? does it have the white spot underneath with lines? a picture (if you can) would be great.

i also wonder how easy it is to distinguish between species of steatoda in new zealand? i hear the capensis and grossa can be easily confused. i wonder if the other 2 can be confused making all four fairly difficult to confuse? theres a wonderful paper *here* showing and explaining in depth the differences in the four steatoda found in new zealand. 

interesting stuff!

there's another paper *here* regarding field identification of katipo if anybody is interested.


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## Violet (Sep 10, 2009)

That’s an interesting article, I thought that S. Capensis were the only Steatoda species in new Zealand. 
I’ve found a lot over the years and they generally seem to be all black, sometimes with a row faint white dots on the top of the abdomen and no ventral markings. This individual has a small orange stripe as well, the first I have seen.
I always thought there were only two Laterodectus species in New Zealand, the introduced Red Back (L. Hasselti) and the endemic Katipo (L. Katipo) but after reading that second article it appears that the Black Katipo (L. Atritus) is also a species, I remember reading a while ago that the black Katipo was a colour morph.
I’ll work on getting a photo tonight, they tend to spend most of the day hidden away but come out to hang in thier web when it gets dark. It takes a while for them to realise when the lights go on to take a photo haha.  

Thanks for the intrest.


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## Widowman10 (Sep 10, 2009)

Violet said:


> That’s an interesting article, I thought that S. Capensis were the only Steatoda species in new Zealand.
> I’ve found a lot over the years and they generally seem to be all black, sometimes with a row faint white dots on the top of the abdomen and no ventral markings. This individual has a small orange stripe as well, the first I have seen.
> I always thought there were only two Laterodectus species in New Zealand, the introduced Red Back (L. Hasselti) and the endemic Katipo (L. Katipo) but after reading that second article it appears that the Black Katipo (L. Atritus) is also a species, I remember reading a while ago that the black Katipo was a colour morph.
> I’ll work on getting a photo tonight, they tend to spend most of the day hidden away but come out to hang in thier web when it gets dark. It takes a while for them to realise when the lights go on to take a photo haha.
> ...


the ones with the basal band (near the "head") could possibly be grossa as well, that is a common characteristic marking. 

can you get a pic of the "orange stripe" please??

they used to think the black katipo was a morph, until furthur studies declared it a separate species!




yeah, if you can, please get a photo of the ventral and dorsal sides, and if possible, one from the side. that would sweet if you could do that!! thanks.

legs look very long for a steatoda sp....


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## Violet (Sep 10, 2009)

Yep I’ll try tonight when they come out of there hideouts. I’ll see about taking some pictures of some in the garden too.


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## Widowman10 (Sep 10, 2009)

Violet said:


> I’ll see about taking some pictures of some in the garden too.


awesome! that'll be great!


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## Violet (Sep 11, 2009)

I managed to get a picture of the orange stripe. I’ll work on more pictures this weekend. 







Any tips on getting better photos? They drag bits of the substrate into their web to make a little cave which they spend most of their time in. 
Example (around the bark )


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## buthus (Sep 11, 2009)

1st pic looks like grossa ...yet the 2nd does seem to show a different body shape ...i mean..as different as two really close cousins can be.  
Nice!! ...wish i could get my hands on some to photograph.  

There is debate whether S.capensis could be one of the major factors of L.katipo population reduction.  Steatoda are superior hunters/adapters and directly compete with Latrodectus.  

What about the famous nude beach down there? ...supposedly there has been a good population of katipos found on some nude beach and surrounding area.


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## Violet (Sep 11, 2009)

S.capensis are defiantly a lot more adaptable. L.katipo are only found on the coast, (Mainly west coast of north and south islands and some off shore islands) 

I bileve the main cause of population decline is due to habitat loss, more specifically pingao grass which grows in the sand dunes and keeps them stable as well as providing cover for webs. 

"In some parts of the country (for example, around Wellington), Steatoda appears to have displaced katipo from beach habitats. It is not known if this is due to direct competition between the two species or the result of human modification of the environment in a manner that strongly favours Steatoda."

http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/ResearchA...imilar/SpidersWeb/What/Pages/falsekatipo.aspx

I’d love to keep L.katipo but I’m not sure of the legality of it, I’ve heard they the only protected spider in New Zealand but I have also read the same thing about the Nelson Cave Spider (Spelungula cavernicola)

“Not only is Spelungula cavernicola one of New Zealand's largest spiders, but due to its rarity and restricted habitat it is also our only legally protected species of spider.”

http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/researcha...similar/spidersweb/what/pages/nelsoncave.aspx


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## buthus (Sep 11, 2009)

A few years ago i contacted via email some university guy that was listed somewhere as the New Zealand spider/bug guy ...and me mind just sux cause i cant remember his name nor can i find the saved(? ) emails.  He seemed only slightly annoyed by the 3 er 4 email back n'forths ...and answered a few questions. 
One was ..."are either L.Katipos or L.atritus protected from collection/whatnot"  ...and he claimed no, but Katipo was being considered.   True? or are they actually considered endangered and protected? 


BTW .._Spelungula cavernicola  _ .. ..looks like a Lyco/Loxo cross. ...wow, and they'r pretty big!


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## Violet (Sep 11, 2009)

Hmm I might ask at the museum or university. 
According to wikipeadia they are endangered but wikipeadia isn’t known for its accuracy haha.


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## buthus (Sep 12, 2009)

Violet said:


> Hmm I might ask at the museum or university.
> According to wikipeadia they are endangered but wikipeadia isn’t known for its accuracy haha.


Yes... im hoping either his info was wrong... or (a wishful or)... the plight of the katipo has been found NOT to be as bad as "they" have been thinkin.


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## Scragglepus (Oct 1, 2009)

Hiya,

I just joined these forums cos I found one of these spidies in the wall of my Dunedin house while doing some good old DIY demolition.  An expert from the museum identified it from this picture as a mature female Steatoda capensis.

As she is a very cool looking spider, I was gonna offer her to a good arachnid-obsessed home in New Zealand.  Unfortunately it took over a week for my forum account to be activated. =(  She's since been let out into the garden.

So your next best option is to simply enjoy this shot showing her groovy markings and sparkly eyes.

Cheers!
The Good Reverend Scragglepus


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## Violet (Oct 3, 2009)

Scragglepus said:


> Hiya,
> 
> I just joined these forums cos I found one of these spidies in the wall of my Dunedin house while doing some good old DIY demolition.  An expert from the museum identified it from this picture as a mature female Steatoda capensis.
> 
> ...


Too me that looks like S. grossa. From what I understand the give away is the cresent marking on the top of the abdomen (absent in S. capensis) 







p.s. Her colours and markings are amazing!


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