Is this a BLACK WIDOW spider or not? Read technical details below - Es esta una araña VIUDA NEGRA o no? Lea los detalles abajo (i.e. technical details)

I need help to identify this spider. I think it is a Black Widow

spider (Latrodectus hesperus or L.mactans or L.curacaviensis), but a

few friends are telling me it's not. I took the photo on a rocky road

in the north mountains of Nicaragua, department of Madriz, which is

located between 13 and 14 degrees of latitude north. These mountains

are at an altitude of approximately 1,730 meters, and the climate is

subtropical. The size of the abdomen of the spider on this photo is

about 1cm (i.e. 3/8 of an inch).

 

Texto en ESPAÑOL: Necesito ayuda para identificar a esta araña. Yo

creo que es una Viuda Negra (Latrodectus hesperus or L.mactans or

L.curacaviensis), pero algunos de mis amigos dicen que no. Esta foto

la tomé en un camino pedregoso en las montañas del norte de Nicaragua,

departamento de Madriz, ubicado entre los 13 y 14 grados de latitud

norte. Estas montañas están aproximadamente a una altitud de 1,730

metros sobre el nivel del mar, y el clima es subtropical. El tamaño

del abdomen de la araña en esta foto es como de 1 cm (i.e. 3/8 de

pulgada).

 

Thanks,

 

Rene Sandino M.

It does not look like the spider we call the Black Widow here in the southern USA.

I'm pretty sure it's not. Although it looks pretty similiar. Black Widows don't have as much red on their abdomens -- just an "hourglass" red shape. Your spiders have red stripes. However, in the interest of safety I wouldn't try to pick it up!! Maybe it's some type of black widow "variant"??

I believe this IS a black widow spider. The red/orange markings can show quite a bit of variation; I have seen similar variations on the black widows here in Arkansas. The size, shape, color, and hairless shiny black body leads me to believe this is a black widow.

The red hourglass on a black widow found in the US is on the underside of the abdomen (giving you the choice of staying away from black spiders or picking them up to determine what they are!). They also are fond of dark, damp places (like woodpiles) and typically wouldn't be seen in a rocky crag as in your photo. So, unless there are multiple varieties, I'd say it's not a black widow.

I don't know what this has to do with anything photographic but:

 

From what I remember, and I'm no expert on arachnids, there are several variations on the black widow that all look similar. Big or smaller, varied patterns, but they all have the red hourglass shape on their undersides. The body has a similar shape to a black widow, but I don't know for sure. Don't eat it

Yes, it is a black widow. There are several species (as you already know) and the markings can vary quite a bit among species and even individuals. Many black widows have more than just the red hour glass on the underside of their abdomen. I've even seen a few where the hourglass shape was almost unrecognizeable.

Yes, I'm fairly certain this is a Black Widow Spider. The color pattern is varied on young spiders with the body becoming the solid black with the red "hourglass" on the bottom as the spider matures. Black Widows also have a distinctive web. Distinctive in several ways... First, there is NO pattern to the web, rather it is a cluster of random strands. The web is not out in the open but found within or at the opening of a closed space such as a crevace opening in a log pile, home crawl space, behind a downspout, in the end of a pipe, at the opening of a storm drain, in the enclosure for the water meter...(you get the idea). The Black widow will always have a place to hide in the dark... Each strand of the web is also "stiff," or resistant to the touch. The web is not sticky or stretchy. If you try to pass an object through the web it will provide a firm resistance until it breaks. Again, it does not stretch much at all.

I also forgot to ask your feedback regarding the photos. Anything on composition, light, etc. is quite welcome.

It could be related to the 'Red-Back' spider found in Australia.

 

I am no expert in this field, however the jet black body & legs and the red markings on the back are consistant with the local variety.

 

Hope you used a zoom lens :-)

 

Don't waste your film taking pictures of these most horrible creatures! you should put your foot down, preferably right on top of them :) These things scare the jeebus out of me.

Too much magenta in the photo

I have seen hundreds of Black Widows and as this looks exactly like the ones I've seen in Arizona except for the red on the back. Usually just a red hour glass shape on the underside of the abdomen. I agree with E.S. about the web. Nothing scarier than walking into a Black Widow web at night