Family THERIDIIDAE Sundevall, 1833
Latrodectus hasseltii
© Copyright Curtis Morton
Museums
Regional Maps
Family THERIDIIDAE Sundevall, 1833
Introduction
The Theridiidae include the well known and highly venomous Redback and Brown Widow spiders (Latrodectus hasseltii and L. geometricus). However, they are a large, diverse spider family that can be difficult to separate from other families. The classical diagnostic character — the presence of serrate setae on tarsus IV — can be difficult to observe. Moreover, this character is also found in the closely related Nesticidae. Theridiids occur over all of Australia, in a variety of habitats.
Diagnosis
Among the araneoids, theridiids differ from nesticids, and most other spiders, by the cup-shaped male palpal tibia.