Steatoda nobilis

Steatoda nobilis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Araneomorphae
Family: Theridiidae
Genus: Steatoda
Species:
S. nobilis
Binomial name
Steatoda nobilis
(Thorell, 1875)

Steatoda nobilis is a spider in the genus Steatoda, known in the United Kingdom as the noble false widow,[1][2] as it superficially resembles and is frequently mistaken for the black widow and other spiders in the genus Latrodectus. It is often referred to as the false widow, although "false widow" is a more general term applied to a wider group of species with this resemblance.[3][a] It is a moderately medically significant spider, with most bites resulting in symptoms similar to a bee or wasp sting.[4] Some bites may cause more significant harm, partly due to pathogenic bacteria from the spiders.[5][6]

S. nobilis is spotted all year round, both indoors and outdoors in a variety of habitats including cacti, roadside cuttings, and demolished buildings.[7] The spiders prey on both invertebrates and small vertebrates using an "attack wrap" strategy where silk is wrapped around the victim.[8]

Steatoda nobilis is native to Madeira and the Canary Islands from where it is thought to have spread to Europe,[9] and continued to spread to other parts of the world including the United States, Chile and Colombia. They are considered to be one of the world's most invasive species of spider.[10]

  1. ^ Snazell, R. & Jones, D. (1993). "The theridiid spider Steatoda nobilis (Thorell, 1875) in Britain". Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society. 9 (5): 164–167.
  2. ^ Jones, D. (1993). "The Return of Steatoda nobilis (Thorell)". Newsletter of the British Arachnological Society. 49: 7–8.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference nathis was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ "False widow spider, Steatoda nobilis". Natural History Museum. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference :4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
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  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Kulczycki, A., Legittimo, C.M., Simeon, E. and Di Pompeo, P. (2012). "New records of Steatoda nobilis (Thorell, 1875) (Araneae, Theridiidae), an introduced species on the Italian mainland and in Sardinia". Bulletin of the British Arachnological Society. 15 (8): 269–272. doi:10.13156/arac.2012.15.1.269. S2CID 84102334.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).