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Project Noah Nature School
Latrodectus hasselti
Tiny spider with 4mm body length and white patterns on a black body.
Relatively large coiled palps are obvious in the dorsal view.
Long, finely tapering forelegs typical of Theridiidae.
This one was slowly climbing a wall in a coastal camping ground. At about two metres above ground it is out of it's typical zone which is within thirty cms of the ground.
Females of this species are the best known spider across Australia and represent the 'down-under' version of the American Black Widow with the red stripe on it's back AND the venom. Males are not often noticed due to their miniscule size.
Many species of spider indulge in sexual cannibalism but these males actively assist the female by flipping the abdomen over to the female's mouth during the act. Perhaps even more bizarre some males have been seen biting a hole through the exoskeleton of an immature female to impregnate her without getting eaten.. Crikey!!
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:...
Spotted on Mar 22, 2018
Submitted on Mar 28, 2018
6 Comments
looks cool!
Considering the opposite hemisphere and the red ventral v. dorsal maybe your males flip the other way. :-D
Vicious little creatures! I had no idea about the last bit. I wonder if our widows in US do the same?
Yes only the males look like this. So small but apparently mature. It was definitely a specs-on jobbie.
A redback without a red back? Only the males, Mark? Awesome spotting, and great info too.
Photo No. 1: is a very beautiful, Spider photo....