Black Widow - Latrodectus variolus

doubt this is a hesperus. An adult female hesperus with reduced ventral markings (hourglass) would rarely to never have a dorsal spot 1 (in front of spinnerets).
However, nothing is certain. There could be or could have been hesperus with reduced ventral markings and some dorsal markings.
There are always anomalies in Latrodectus.

Adult female hesperus with reduced or no hourglass are almost always lacking any ventral markings (spots, lateral bands, basal band).

Adult female hesperus in the northern area of their range tend to lack all dorsal markings, with the exception of basal markings, and the ventral marking ranges from prominent to absent.

Adult female hepserus that commonly have prominent ventral markings tend to be located in the southwestern states, and are often lighter in color.

Latrodectus was in shambles back then. Please link your reference.
Even Levi got it wrong, classifying most species throughout the world as mactans or subspecies of mactans.

And if you read my previous comment, it was not definitive.

It would be great to get some dorsal views and pictures of other specimens from the exact area where this photo was taken.

… Jeff Hollenbeck, 29 June, 2017 - 2:15pm

Yes

L. hesperus seems highly unlikely to me too and I believe Gertsch called it L. texanus. I am in no way arguing for it to be L. hesperus. Brad and I have talked offline about this thorny question and it is one that needs to be resolved.

My comment was not intended to be combative but to bring light to this particular question. I'm sorry if any offense was given.

… Chad Heins, 29 June, 2017 - 7:20pm

None

at all. I certainly respect your input.

This is one of my favorite spider genera
since childhood (due to southern CA hesperus), and I
usually jump on an opportunity to discuss, debate, or to share knowledge pertaining to the genera I find most interesting (primarily Latrodectus and Kukulcania).

Epigynum is also a good match for variolus (Kaston 1970 figs. f,g, and Levi 1959 fig. 36).

… Jeff Hollenbeck, 29 June, 2017 - 8:04pm

Not so fast

This is one of the most interesting questions about spider fauna in Minnesota. Which Latrodectus is in Houston County (the only county with natural records)?. The literature actually indicates L. hesperus from this county with specimens identified by Willis Gertsch back in the 1930s. While I agree that L. variolus makes more sense, I'm hesitant to jump to conclusions.

Leave it here for now but consider the identification tentative.

… Chad Heins, 28 June, 2017 - 10:36am

Moved

Moved from Widow Spiders.
The ventral markings match mactans as well, but location should rule out mactans. Variolus in my opinion.

… Jeff Hollenbeck, 20 June, 2017 - 2:55pm