Latrodectus geometricus
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| Latrodectus geometricus Koch, 1841 |
The spider Latrodectus geometricus, commonly known as the brown widow, grey widow, brown button spider, or geometric button spider, is one of the widow spiders in the genus Latrodectus. As such, it is a "cousin" to the more famous black widow spider. The brown widow is found in parts of the southern United States (including Florida, Mississippi, Georgia and Texas); as well as in parts of Australia and South Africa. It was recently discovered across the Gulf Coast of the state of Mississippi. The origin of this species is uncertain, as specimens were independently discovered in both Africa and in the Americas.
L. geometricus is generally lighter in color than the black widow species—the color can range from tan to dark brown, with shades of grey also possible. Like the black widow species in the United States, L. geometricus has a prominent "hourglass" marking on the underside of the abdomen, however, the Brown Widow's hourglass is usually an orange or a yellowish color. Unlike the black widow, geometricus has a black-and-white "geometric" pattern on the dorsal side of its abdomen; from this it gets its name.
Brown Widows can be located by finding their eggsacks, which are easily identifiable. They resemble a sandspur, having pointed projections all over, and they are sometimes described as "spiky" in appearance.
Like all Latrodectus species, L. geometricus has a bite which is venomous to humans; unfortunately, according to Dr. G.B. Edwards, a University of Florida arachnologist, the brown widow venom is twice as potent as the black widow venom, but is usually confined to the bite area and surrounding tissue, as opposed to the Black Widow.
(Similar widows include the L. rhodesienses, a brown-colored relative of L. geometricus which is native to Zimbabwe; both species are collectively known as brown button spiders throughout southern Africa).
