A species of black widow (<i>Latrodectus hesperus</i> Chamberlain & Ivie) found in Olancho, Honduras

Authors

  • Alba Hernández Oviedo Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras
  • Mirna Marín Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras
  • Oscar Martínez Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras
  • Héctor Martínez Martínez Facultad de Ciencias, Escuela de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5377/rct.v0i5.518

Keywords:

Black widow, Spiders, Arachnidae, Theridiidae, Lactrodectus, Honduras, neurotoxic poison, Black spiders bites

Abstract

It is reported the finding of a black widow (Arachnidae, Theridiidae) collected in San Esteban, Olancho on June 28 2009 among bark of Oak (Quercus sp.) in decomposition. The black widow was identified as Lactrodectus hesperus Chamberlain & Ivie, according to the bibliography searched, Lactrodectus hesperus is specie reported for first time in Honduras and in the Central american region. A peculiar behavior of the black widow that gave its name is that occasionally the females can eat the male after intercourse, that behavior can be explained because the female will need extra proteins and other nutrients to laid the eggs and to build the egg sac. The black widow spider´s poison is about fifteen times more neurotoxic than rattle snakes. But because when the spider bites, the poison injected is very little, it rarely it kills the victim.

Key Words: Black widow; Spiders; Arachnidae; Theridiidae; Lactrodectus; Honduras; neurotoxic poison; Black spiders bites.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/rct.v0i5.518

Revista Ciencia y Tecnología, No. 5, Segunda época, Diciembre 2009: 37-46

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How to Cite

Oviedo, A. H., Marín, M., Martínez, O. and Martínez, H. M. (2011) “A species of black widow (<i>Latrodectus hesperus</i> Chamberlain & Ivie) found in Olancho, Honduras”, Jornual of Science and Technology, (5), pp. 37–46. doi: 10.5377/rct.v0i5.518.

Issue

Numero 5, Segunda Época, Diciembre 2009

Section

Diversity Theme

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