Mediterranean recluse spider

Mediterranean recluse spider
Female
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Sicariidae
Genus:	Loxosceles
Species:	L. rufescens
Binomial name
Loxosceles rufescens (Dufour, 1820)[1]
Synonyms[1]
Scytodes rufescens Dufour, 1820 Omosita rufescens (Dufour, 1820) Loxosceles citigrada Heineken & Lowe, 1832 Scytodes erythrocephala C. L. Koch, 1838 Loxosceles erythrocephala (C.L. Koch, 1838) Scytodes distincta Lucas, 1846 Loxosceles distincta (Lucas, 1846) Scytodes pallida Blackwall, 1865 Spermophora comoroensis Butler, 1879 Loxosceles compactilis Simon, 1881 Loxosceles marylandicus Muma, 1944 Loxosceles indrabeles Tikader, 1963 Loxosceles alicea Gertsch, 1967

The Mediterranean recluse spider (Loxosceles rufescens) is a species of spider that originated in the Mediterranean region as its name implies, but can now be found in many parts of the world and is listed as one of the most invasive spiders worldwide. Usually dwelling in caves, the spiders will also inhabit basements and tunnels. Their webs shelter their egg sacs, which hatch into young that molt as they grow. The spider hunts at night and eats species including silverfish and cockroaches, and they usually target smaller insects.

Similar to other species in their genus, bites from L. rufescens can cause necrosis and, for some individuals, systemic damage due to the enzyme sphingomyelinase D. Pest control may be undertaken with similar strategies as used for the brown recluse spider.