Argyrodes in Webs of the Floridian Red Widow Spider (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Notes on the behavior of the kleptoparasitic spider Argyrodes elevatus ( Theridiidae , Araneae ) 1 MARCO

* Arthropods Laboratory, Butantan Institute. Avenida Vital Brazil, 1500, Postal Code 05503-900. email: [email protected] ** Program of Post-Graduation in Animal Diversity, Federal University of Bahia; Program of Post-Graduation in Neurosciences and Behavior, University of São Paulo. 1. This paper is part of a Master’s study defended by M. C. Silveira at the Post-Graduate Program in Neurosci...

Simplifying understory complexity in oil palm plantations is associated with a reduction in the density of a cleptoparasitic spider, Argyrodes miniaceus (Araneae: Theridiidae), in host (Araneae: Nephilinae) webs

Expansion of oil palm agriculture is currently one of the main drivers of habitat modification in Southeast Asia. Habitat modification can have significant effects on biodiversity, ecosystem function, and interactions between species by altering species abundances or the available resources in an ecosystem. Increasing complexity within modified habitats has the potential to maintain biodiversit...

‘Rectangular orb’ webs of Synotaxus (Araneae: Theridiidae)

The black widow spider genus Latrodectus (Araneae: Theridiidae): phylogeny, biogeography, and invasion history.

The spider genus Latrodectus includes the widely known black widows, notorious because of the extreme potency of their neurotoxic venom. The genus has a worldwide distribution and comprises 30 currently recognized species, the phylogenetic relationships of which were previously unknown. Several members of the genus are synanthropic, and are increasingly being detected in new localities, an occu...

The prevalence of brown widow and black widow spiders (Araneae: Theridiidae) in urban southern California.

The brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus C. L. Koch, has become newly established in southern California during the first decade of the 21st century. Brown widows and egg sacs were collected within the urban Los Angeles Basin using timed searches. We also collected and compared the abundance and distribution of the native western black widow spider, Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie...