Latrodectus (Theridiidae) Picture Thread

[buthus]

The Lactrodectus mactans or Southern Black Widow CAN and usually does have an hour glass on their abdomen - but sometimes it is on their back.

Mactans always have an hour glass ...I have yet to see a line that is clearly showing signs of loosing it. If you find one with a definite split, good chance she is actually variolus. They never have an hour glass on their dorsal, but like all latrodectus, they have a dorsal line which is the "spine" of a herringbone marking which covers the entire dorsal region. This dorsal line splits up into dots as they mature and can be retained in full glory or fade away to the point that it can be seen only with bright light. Usually at the very least, mactans retain one chunk of their dorsal line next to their spinneret.

Sometimes it is undefined or separated and some Lactrodectus mactans are not Black and they do NOT have red, but white markings.

Mactans can retain some white, but usually these white markings are only seen on juvs. Adults with clear white markings may actually be variolus.

 

[Rizzolo]

corallinus color morph slings

Below are pics of L corallinus "alicia" slings. Notice the revivensis-like canopy in the web. they hang out under the canopy and have no separate retreat that i can see. I can't wait to see what the coloration will look like on these guys.

 

[buthus]

Very nice!
Hey...you know Ive always considered you a good friend.

 

[Rizzolo]

Thanks Steven. I've got to move this weekend. Can you give me a hand? And bring your pickup? LOL

anyway, here are the pics of the L revivensis webbing/retreat that i promised - to compare/contrast with the L corallinus webbing in the previous post. i had to do some image balancing, so the quality isn't the best (lighting wasn't good).

 

[buthus]

Thanks Steven. I've got to move this weekend. Can you give me a hand? And bring your pickup? LOL

Shucks...I missed your move ...bummer.

Great stuff. Cool to see that a new world specie does that ..a little shelter building.

 

[stardragon]

In search of L. variolus

buthus, I just joined the forum. Great stuff! Anyway, I have looked high and low around my neck of the woods, Lapeer Michigan, for L.variolus but have not had any luck finding them. Just wondering how common they are to these parts and how would I go about finding them.

Also, I was out in Vegas on a vacation staying at a friends place this past August. His backyard was the usual stone and a cinderblock wall common to this area. One night we were out there having a few brewskies and I decided to get a flashlight and do a little parimeter walk. I've always been infactuated with spiders and having never seen a real live widow, I figured I would give it a try. As luck would have it, I came upon a beauty of a girl! My friends figured I must be crazy! Seems that, "that one moment" was the most exciting for me the whole time out there. LOL. So, I took some pics of her with my buddy holding the flashlight but the pics were a bit fuzzy under the conditions.
When I have a chance, I will post the best pic I have. I think it was L. hesperus, but not sure.
Anyway, the trip has whetted my desire to find the L.variolus if I can.

Thanks for all the great info and pics!

 

[John Apple]

L variolus is in select populations here in Michigan, haqving found two of them myself. I have released many slings this summer at a railroad track by my house so I am sure that another population will be there also.
I'll be at the Taylor show in two weeks and will have a few there for sale if you are wanting a couple for your collection.
Oddly enough the males have a leg span almost as big as the adult females [1"] and the slings are rather large and red.
The hourglass is almost nonexistant , being two very small red marks.

 

[stardragon]

John,
Can you provide some details of the show? Where is it being held, what is the name and dates? I would be very interested in making the trip if I am able.

Thanks,
Ron

 

[John Apple]

Ron
go west on 94 south on Telegraph , turn left on Wick and it is 100 yards or so down on the left.
Like I said the males are rather large and a bit unusual as they have a lot of color.when I get home I'll post a pic

 

[buthus]

Ahhh! Good, conversation regarding one of my latro "goals" ...most northern!
Love to see some pics of your specimens John.
Eventually, if one of you northlanders finds or produces a few extra, Id love to purchase/trade some.

 

[John Apple]

well I tried posting pics but it stops and goes no further when I try and download them for the site here....any ideas or help

 

[Canth]

Pretty L. hesperus found in South Texas

Before her molt

Recent happenings...
27 L. bishopi slings

L. hesperus making ANOTHER sac (up for grabs by the way). It's a cool process. 2nd time I've seen it happen

L. menavodi made another sac

Proud mama

 

[Rizzolo]

latrodectus males

here are some males of L revivensis, L variolus, and L mirabilis (may be diaguita). sorry about the poor quality - best my lense will do.

L revivensis

L variolus

L mirabilis

 

[Rizzolo]

L mirabilis?

well, my L mirabilis (?) produced an egg sac!

however, this creates a quandry. i thought maybe she had one more molt, although she looked mature, and she mated readily. reportedly, she was to turn mostly black when mature - NOT! I love the design though!

check out the cool design on the anterior abdomen.

ventral abdomen

dorsal

i have not been able to find good photos of other Argentinian species, L diaguita, L variegatus, L quartus, to compare.

i welcome links to other images of these species to help with id.

 

[Rizzolo]

gravid L revivensis

here is my fat L revivensis. hope that she is gravid!

 

[Canth]

WOW she's fat! I love the spade design on here. Hope the sac is viable

Btw, I opened the 4 menavodi sacs you sent me. I got 4 slings total. Still got one more chance though, she laid another one about 10 days ago.

 

[Pulk]

the color on these photos is absurdly off, this geo is very dark. the pattern is pretty faint, which is cool too

 

[buthus]

Pulk, r u shooting with those energy saving bulbs? I played with color correction with one of these pics and it cant be completely fixed... which seems to be the case when I forget to set my white balance to my room settings. I use only those energy savers for lighting my room and in my photo lamps.
Blues are all but lost and the greens are screwy. Photoshop cant "grab" those colors and enhance them because they are not there... so if added, the entire image gets purpled or greyed out (when bumping green).

Here is an attempt ..a bit better, but still not right...

First check out your cameras settings and see if you can set a white balance setting just for your room (or wherever you're shooting).
2nd..shoot me a PM sometime if you need a copy of PS ...im sure I could set u up and give you some quick pointers if needed.

 

[Pulk]

Pulk, r u shooting with those energy saving bulbs?

dunno if it's energy-saving, but yeah, it's a halogen lamp... I think the problem is a combination of that and the very orange wood floor I took the pics over.

Here is an attempt ..a bit better, but still not right...

Nice!

First check out your cameras settings and see if you can set a white balance setting just for your room (or wherever you're shooting).
2nd..shoot me a PM sometime if you need a copy of PS ...im sure I could set u up and give you some quick pointers if needed.

the camera does have a setting for that, and it works, I just forgot to put it on and was too lazy to take the pics again. (i do have photoshop)

thanks, buthus!

 

[Canth]

Latrodectus geometricus slings

I thought this was a pretty cool little thing they did. The made a little tornado looking thing inside the 2oz delicup they're in. I did my best to take a pic, but those little delicups are too opaque for a good shot.

And a 4th instar from a previous sac. I thought this was a pretty cool picture with the reflection