Is it known what genes contribute to color in Latrodectus geometricus specimens?

[Clickbait]

Hey all!
Lately I've been vexed with the variation in color exhibited by L. geometricus specimens. In my hometown I have found both extremely brown individuals as well as specimens so dark I initially mistook them for L. mactans. It has made me wonder--why is there such a high degree of variation in the species? And is it known how genes contribute to their color? I'm interested because I'm taking a genetics course at my university and several eggs from my specimen have hatched and I'm hoping to record the ratio of colors exhibited by her offspring (I must admit that this will in no way be scientific and that cannibalization/accidental deaths will certainly skew the results).


I searched my university library's website but couldn't find anything on the genetic interplay behind their colors. Is there literature on the subject or has this not been explored?

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Given that there is only a single draft genome for Latrodectus available (and only scaffold, not a closed genome), and that genetic research has been slow to creep into entomological circles, I would be very surprised if much was known about the genetic basis for colour variants.

 

[Clickbait]

Given that there is only a single draft genome for Latrodectus available (and only scaffold, not a closed genome), and that genetic research has been slow to creep into entomological circles, I would be very surprised if much was known about the genetic basis for colour variants.

Shoot that's too bad, but I guess it's not that surprising. I can't imagine there's much of a drive to research something like color when they could instead study their venom or why they're so invasive haha.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Shoot that's too bad, but I guess it's not that surprising. I can't imagine there's much of a drive to research something like color when they could instead study their venom or why they're so invasive haha.

I'm sure plenty of arachnologists are interested in questions like these, but funding is hard to come by, and tends to be directed toward projects that promise to cure cancer, not pure curiosity work.

 

[schmiggle]

@Clickbait it'd be difficult to do serious molecular work on your own unless you're fabulously wealthy, but you should be able to figure out a fair amount of the trait inheritance rules just through breeding.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

@Clickbait it'd be difficult to do serious molecular work on your own unless you're fabulously wealthy, but you should be able to figure out a fair amount of the trait inheritance rules just through breeding.

Assuming it's a relatively simple interaction of 1-3 genes with clean dominance effects, yes. Anything else can get messy pretty fast.

 

[Clickbait]

@Clickbait it'd be difficult to do serious molecular work on your own unless you're fabulously wealthy, but you should be able to figure out a fair amount of the trait inheritance rules just through breeding.

hahaha my weird ass really would spend millions on the genetics of L. geometricus coloration and not something like a mansion if only I were in the position to do so.

 

[Clickbait]

Assuming it's a relatively simple interaction of 1-3 genes with clean dominance effects, yes. Anything else can get messy pretty fast.

Yeah haha I already find answering questions regarding linked traits and non-mendelian inheritance hard enough and I can't imagine this would get any easier considering attrition via cannibalization/accidents

 

[NYAN]

I have wondered this also, and have considered doing something similar. One of the issues is that males don’t really have color variations, so you would be basing your conclusions on the female only.

 

[Clickbait]

I have wondered this also, and have considered doing something similar. One of the issues is that males don’t really have color variations, so you would be basing your conclusions on the female only.

Oh shoot that's interesting and I'd never thought about that.

 

[The Snark]

'm sure plenty of arachnologists are interested in questions like these, but funding is hard to come by, and tends to be directed toward projects that promise to cure cancer, not pure curiosity work.

I've been informed there is still a 2 to 3 year waiting line in genetically identifying a spider I inquired about. It's only been three years now.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

I've been informed there is still a 2 to 3 year waiting line in genetically identifying a spider I inquired about. It's only been three years now.

Tragically this does not surprise me.