black widowArticle Free Pass black widow (genus Latrodectus),
any of several species of black spiders distinguished by an
hourglass-shaped marking on the abdomen. Black widows,
especially L. mactans, are found throughout much of the world.
The bite of the black widow often produces muscle pain, nausea,
and mild paralysis of the diaphragm, which makes breathing
difficult. Most victims recover without serious complications,
but a bite can be fatal to very small children and the elderly.
L. mactans is the most common species in North America and other
parts of the world. The female is shiny black and usually has a
reddish to yellow hourglass design on the underside of the
spherical abdomen. Sometimes two small triangles, instead of a
complete hourglass, are present. The body is about 2.5 cm (1
inch) long. The male, seldom seen because it is often killed and
eaten by the female after mating (hence the spider’s name), is
about one-fourth the size of the female. In addition to the
hourglass design, the male often h