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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Cobweb Spiders (Theridiidae) » Widow Spiders (Latrodectus) » Northern Black Widow (Latrodectus variolus)
Photo#49358
Northern Black Widow Male - Latrodectus variolus - male
Copyright © 2006 Lynette Elliott

Northern Black Widow Male - Latrodectus variolus - Male
Fort Bragg, Cumberland County, North Carolina, USA
April 24, 2006
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Contributed by Lynette Elliott on 25 April, 2006 - 6:48am
Last updated 15 April, 2009 - 2:58pm

Hey
Lynette. You had mactans and variolus in NC. This guy is variolus.
… Jeff Hollenbeck, 28 February, 2009 - 6:22pm login or register to post comments

 
Thank Jeff,
how do you tell the difference with males?
… Lynette Elliott, 28 February, 2009 - 6:55pm login or register to post comments

 
Check
out legs III and the dorsal markings. The basal band (the white band closest to the head) is much different in mactans. Also compare the leg coloration and banding. Your thumb is a stereotypical mactans, and you should be able to easily see the difference in the legs. There's little variation in adult male variolus.
… Jeff Hollenbeck, 1 March, 2009 - 5:50pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks again
I wasn't sure about the marking variation.
… Lynette Elliott, 1 March, 2009 - 7:21pm login or register to post comments

Great
Image Lynette.
… Machele White, 25 April, 2006 - 8:59am login or register to post comments

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