Male Redback spider ventral

Marked sexual dimorphism in Latrodectus hasseltii with the male just 3 mm body length. He also carries the classic red 'hour glass' mark on the ventral surface of his abdomen. The pedipalps can also be seen clearly here.

comments (3)

Ferdy Christant

Lion

Ruth, I've been wanting to ask...where does your admiration for spiders come from? Really enjoying the series! Posted 6 years ago
1. Ruth Spigelman
  
  Lion
  
  Up until 6 years ago, I was an arachnophobe Ferdy. Spiders were the only thing within the natural world that gave me grief and I just decided to do something about it...a friend who keeps them helped me with very slow exposure (starting with Salticidae, the best gateway spiders!). Then personally, I read and read and read some more and the more I read the more fascinated I became. Applying what I've learned to what I see in the field is always a thrill. However, I still haven't handled a tarantula and make no mistake, if I walk through a web unexpectedly, I'll become the world's best karate expert! Here in Australia, Dr Robert Raven in Queensland has dedicated 40 years of his life to studying spiders and his story pretty much mirrors mine in regard fear turned to fascination and he still gets startled and can't go to sleep until he removes that massive Huntsman looking down at him from the ceiling ha ha. Posted 6 years ago
2. 1. Ferdy Christant
    
    Lion
    
    That is quite a turnaround, Ruth! Love how you started with the puppy spiders :) Posted 5 years ago

The Redback spider

The redback spider is a species of venomous spider indigenous to Australia. It is a member of the cosmopolitan genus "Latrodectus", the widow spiders. The adult female is easily recognised by her spherical black body with a prominent red stripe on the upper side of her abdomen and an hourglass-shaped red/orange streak on the underside.

Info 22 0

Similar species: Spiders

Species identified by Ruth Spigelman