Bite envenomation by Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae) spiders in Malaysia

Urbanization is a major cause of biotic homogenization and habitat fragmentation for native communities. However, the role of urbanization on the success of biological invasions on a continental scale has yet to be explored. Urbanization may facilitate the establishment success of invasive species by minimizing niche differentiation between native and invaded ranges. In such cases, we might expect anthropogenic variables to have stronger influence on the geographic distribution of invasive compared to native populations. In this study, we use ecological niche modeling to define the distribution of non-native brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus) and three native black widows (L. hespersus, L. mactans, L. variolus) in North America and gauge the importance of urbanization on the geographic ranges of widows at a continental scale. We also quantify the geographic overlap of L. geometricus with each native widow to assess potential species and regions at risk of ecological impact. Consistent with our hypothesis, we find that the distribution of L. geometricus is strongly constrained to urban environments, while native widow distributions are more strongly driven by climatic factors. These results show that urbanization plays a significant role in facilitating the success of invasion, weakening the significance of climate on the realized niche in its invaded range.

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Partial proteomic analysis of brown widow spider (Latrodectus geometricus) venom to determine the biological activities

Toxicon X ◽

10.1016/j.toxcx.2020.100062 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

pp. 100062

Author(s):

Pornsawan Khamtorn ◽

Prapenpuksiri Rungsa ◽

Nisachon Jangpromma ◽

Sompong Klaynongsruang ◽

Jureerut Daduang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Proteomic Analysis ◽

Biological Activities ◽

Latrodectus Geometricus ◽

Brown Widow Spider ◽

Widow Spider

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First case of human latrodectism in Venezuela

Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical ◽

10.1590/s0037-86822008000200015 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 41 (2) ◽

pp. 202-204 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Demetrio Kiriakos ◽

Paola Núñez ◽

Yasmely Parababire ◽

Marianne García ◽

Jenny Medina ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Female Victim ◽

Nervous Systems ◽

First Case ◽

Peripheral Nervous Systems ◽

Latrodectus Geometricus ◽

Scapular Region

The first case of envenoming by Latrodectus geometricus in Venezuela is described. The accident occurred at the victim's home, in Aragua de Barcelona, Anzoátegui State. The 31-year-old female victim was bitten twice on the left scapular region, in quick succession (within seconds). She developed a hyperactive state of the central, autonomic and peripheral nervous systems with minor local symptoms.

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The brown widow spider Latrodectus geometricus C. L. Koch, 1841, in southern California

The Pan-Pacific Entomologist ◽

10.3956/2008-07.1 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 84 (4) ◽

pp. 344-349 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Leonard S. Vincent ◽

Richard S. Vetter ◽

William J. Wrenn ◽

Janet K. Kempf ◽

James E. Berrian

Keyword(s):

Southern California ◽

Latrodectus Geometricus ◽

Brown Widow Spider ◽

Widow Spider

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Aggregation Behavior in Spiderlings: a Strategy for Increasing Life Expectancy in Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Sociobiology ◽

10.13102/sociobiology.v59i2.611 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 59 (2) ◽

pp. 463

Author(s):

William Fernando Antonialli-Junior ◽

Ingrid Guimarães

Keyword(s):

Life Expectancy ◽

Urban Area ◽

Light Exposure ◽

Aggregation Behavior ◽

Maximum Longevity ◽

Food Reserves ◽

Latrodectus Geometricus ◽

Number Of Individuals

Studies on the biology of Latrodectus geometricus are scarce, especially on the behavior and life expectancy of the species. In this study we investigated the importance of the aggregation behavior of juveniles on life expectancy and longevity of the species. Egg sacs were collected in the urban area of Dourados- MS and transferred to the laboratory. The spiderlings hatched were separated into two groups: spiderlings aggregated and isolated, kept in the presence of luminosity. The same tests were run with egg sacs deprived of luminosity. A calculation of entropy was performed for all cases. Individuals grouped held under light exposure showed 14.3 days of life expectancy and 46 maximum longevity and 14.8 days of life expectancy and 32 days of longevity when isolated. For individuals grouped and deprived of light life expectancy was 29.8 days and maximum longevity 85 days and 19.3 days of life expectancy and 26 days of maximum longevity when isolated. The entropy of individuals kept in the presence of light, when grouped was H=0.692 and when isolated H=0.377. For individuals deprived of light, the entropy was H = 0.628 when kept grouped and H = 0.143 when isolated. Therefore it is concluded that the aggregation behavior and luminosity influence the longevity and life expectancy of spiderlings. Cannibalism must be a strategy to acquire food reserves contributing to the survival of a small number of individuals.

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Three alien spider species (Araneae: Theridiidae) newly found in Poland

Fragmenta Faunistica ◽

10.3161/00159301ff2017.60.1.061 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 60 (1) ◽

pp. 61-66

Author(s):

Robert ROZWAŁKA ◽

◽

Łukasz DAWIDOWICZ ◽

Wioletta WAWER ◽

Keyword(s):

Global Warming ◽

Spider Species ◽

The Usa ◽

Latrodectus Geometricus ◽

First Time

Global warming and intensive transport favor the spreading of species. In 2015, three theridiid spider species were found in Poland for the first time: Kochiura aulica, Latrodectus geometricus and Theridion melanostictum. Kochiura auilica was transported in pomegranates from Turkey and T. melanostictum in pomegranates from Chile. One female of Latrodectus geometricus hung, with three egg sacs, on a web in a car imported from the USA (2015), and also in grapes imported from Chile, Morocco and RPA (2017). Effect of non-native spider species in Poland is discussed.

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Analysis of cuticular chemical profiles of Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae) females and juveniles using GC×GC/qMS

Ciência e Natura ◽

10.5902/2179460x29908 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 40 ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Ingrid De Carvalho Guimarães ◽

Claudia Andrea Lima Cardoso ◽

Elina Bastos Caramão ◽

Jaderson Kleveston Schneider ◽

William Fernando Antonialli Junior

Keyword(s):

Gas Chromatography ◽

Body Parts ◽

Reliable Technique ◽

Flame Ionization ◽

Branched Alkanes ◽

Linear Alkanes ◽

Chemical Profiles ◽

Latrodectus Geometricus ◽

Intraspecific Recognition ◽

Rapid Scanning

Communication in spiders can occur by several mechanisms, such as chemical cues and the cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play an important role in intraspecific recognition. Several techniques have been used to evaluate CHCs in spiders, such as Gas Chromatography with Flame Ionization Detection, Gas Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometric detection and recently Fourier Transformed Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy. In this study, rapid-scanning two-dimensional gas chromatography with quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC×GC/qMS) was employed to assess the CHCs of L. geometricus females and juveniles of different ages. The results demonstrate that there is variation in CHCs of different body parts of females, with abdomen presenting greater number of compounds, as well as between adults and juveniles. Branched alkanes represented the majority of compounds in all samples, followed by linear alkanes, and alkenes were only present in adult’s abdomen and cephalothorax. The compounds 10-methyloctacosaneand 14-methyloctacosane; and 10-methyltriacontane and 14-methyltriacontane showed the same retention time in the 1D and were separated in the 2D. According to the results, rapid-scanning GC×GC/qMS can be considered a reliable technique to assess CHCs since it was possible to identify the spider’s cuticular compounds, and detect and separate two cases of chromatographic coelution.

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