Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - BugGuide.Net

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Cobweb Spiders (Theridiidae) » Widow Spiders (Latrodectus) » Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus)

Photo#760303

Copyright © 2013 WTA1

Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus -

Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, New Mexico, USA
April 14, 2013
Size: Body 10 mm

Huge male Black Widow found in back yard...suspect it is a Southern Black Widow but I don't know enough to distinguish between Southern and Western. Beautiful spider, very at ease (the spider) it was not intimidated at all by the camera and flash. Any help in distinguishing between Southern and Western would be appreciated

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Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - male

Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - male

Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - male

Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - male

Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - male

Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - male

Huge Male Black Widow - Latrodectus hesperus - male

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Contributed by WTA1 on 14 April, 2013 - 10:51pm
Last updated 16 April, 2013 - 5:31pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request. Thanks Widowman.

… Lynette Elliott, 16 April, 2013 - 5:31pm

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Dorsal image?

Do you have an image of this spider's back showing more of the pattern?

… Lynette Elliott, 15 April, 2013 - 8:38am

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Male Black Widow

Thank you for responding so quickly...I've attached 3 additional photos that I hope might help ID the little critter. I've released the spider in open space about 100 yards from the house. I've read that males are harmless, but he is such a good looking spider I was sure he would attract the females.

… WTA1, 15 April, 2013 - 10:36pm

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My Guess

I'm going to guess L. hesperus based on range, size and orange hourglass. However, I don't feel it's typical for a L. hesperus male, so I'm going to ask Widowman to take a look.

… Lynette Elliott, 16 April, 2013 - 8:28am

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:)

lynette nailed it! based on size and range (but to a less extent, other characteristics), this is a male hesperus.

mactans males are very diminutive compared to the other 2 species.

if you're looking for differences in males of mactans vs. hesperus, check this out: under "Coloration and description of males"
https://sites.google.com/site/widowman10/widows/comparison-of-the-north-american-widow-species

… widowman10, 16 April, 2013 - 5:23pm

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