Latrodectus Identification needed

[Malhavoc's]

For a base colouring it is very simmiliar to the L. geometricus pictured by kugellager in the thread obve. The only difference is the abdomen is more of a darker black brown tone. Very VERY suttle white markins on the sides and red dots linning the top side of the abdomen with a very prounounced orange red hourglass, size is roughly full grown. Also in comparision to kug's picture the abdomen is roughly the same size as the spiders cephlathorax [if this is a result of lack of food I am not sure but I usualy find L mactans/L hesperus [spelling/right species?] with a much larger abdomen. it appeares to be female [yay] andh ave never seen a widow like this in california.. so if it is a l Geometricus I will be very happy indeed.

EDIt it has 4 spots very small after its hourglass. two on each side in a ( ) on either side heading to the last dot on the dorsal side.. well actualy its half on the buttom and half on the top.. the bottum half of the hourglass looks semi like a spade [of the cards..you know ace of spadede..highly doubt its a juvie and if so only one molt away from maturity. If that is the case I've never seen an l hes/mac hold their juvie colours up to this stage.. they usualy start getting their adult colours before then. nor due they usualy have this kind of markings.

 

[Kugellager]

Sounds like a sub-adult or male L.hesperus...It is that time of the year when the spiderlings are getting to the adults sizes in the wild.

Check out my photos of sub-adults in the Latrodectus sticky.

John
];')