Latrodectus renivulvatus
| Central Button Spider | |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Male | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Theridiidae |
| Genus: | Latrodectus |
| Species: | L. renivulvatus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Latrodectus renivulvatus Dahl, 1902[1]
| |
| Synonyms[2] | |
| |
Latrodectus renivulvatus is a species of spider in the family Theridiidae, found in Africa, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.[2] It is one of six species of Latrodectus found in southern Africa, four of which, including L. renivulvatus, are known as black button or black widow spiders. Like all Latrodectus species, L. renivulvatus has a neurotoxic venom. It acts on nerve endings, causing the very unpleasant symptoms of latrodectism when humans are bitten.[3]
Distribution
Latrodectus renivulvatus is found in Saint Helena, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, and throughout Africa including Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Namibia, Senegal, Rwanda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.[2]
In South Africa, the species has been sampled from all nine provinces. Notable locations include Golden Gate Highlands National Park, Kruger National Park, and Karoo National Park.[4]
Habitat and ecology
The web is usually constructed close to the ground, seldom higher than half a meter. The refuge is in a tuft of grass or in a low shrub, in an empty burrow, or under a loose stone. The species is sometimes found in houses in Gauteng and the Free State.[4]
Latrodectus renivulvatus inhabits a large range at altitudes from 47 to 2020 m above sea level. The species has been sampled from the Grassland, Nama Karoo, Savanna, and Succulent Karoo biomes and is frequently sampled from crops including cotton, maize, strawberries, sugarcane, and vineyards.[4]
Description
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female
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female
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female
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male
Conservation
Latrodectus renivulvatus is listed as Least Concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute due to its wide geographical range. The species has been sampled from more than ten protected areas.[4]
Taxonomy
The species was revised by Lotz in 1994.[5]
References
- ^ Dahl, F. (1902). "Über abgebrochene Copulationsorgane männlicher Spinnen im Körper der Weibchen". Sitzungsberichte der Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin. 1902: 36–45.
- ^ a b c "Latrodectus renivulvatus Dahl, 1902". World Spider Catalog. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ Müller, G.J.; Wium, C.A.; Marks, C.J.; du Plessis, C.E.; Veale, D.J.H. (19 September 2012), "Spider bite in southern Africa: diagnosis and management", Continuing Medical Education, 30 (10): 382–391, retrieved 2016-02-02
- ^ a b c d Dippenaar-Schoeman, A.S.; Haddad, C.R.; Foord, S.H.; Lotz, L.N. (2021). The Theridiidae of South Africa. Part 1 A-P. South African National Survey of Arachnida Photo Identification Guide. pp. 45–46. doi:10.5281/zenodo.7515890. This article incorporates text available under the CC BY 4.0 license.
- ^ Lotz, L.N. (1994). "Revision of the genus Latrodectus (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Africa". Navorsinge van die Nasionale Museum Bloemfontein. 10: 1–60.