1964] 
McCrone and Levi — Latrodectus 
17 
red bars on the venter (Fig. 27) ; the anterior bar may be triangular. 
Of the specimens examined only one male from South Carolina was 
found to have an hour-glass. Kaston (1948, figs. 101-104) noticed 
the reduction of the hour-glass in specimens which he thought were 
northern specimens of L. mactans. Latrodectus bishopi also lacks a 
complete hour-glass and may have two ventral spots, one or none 
(Figs. 21-22). 
Males of L. bishopi and L. variolas are much larger than those of 
L. mactans; male from Torreya State Park had the carapace 2.7 mm 
long, first patella and tibia 7.6 mm; a male from Vermont, 2.9; 6.9. 
Males of L. mactans ; though smaller, are variable. Comparative 
measurements from Brewster Co., Texas, 1.4; 3.7; from Silverhill, 
Alabama, 1.7 ; 4.3 ; from Savannah, Georgia, 2.1 ; 5.6; and from Punta 
Gorda, Florida, 1.7; 4.3. 
Latrodectus curacaviensis , L. variolas and Latrodectus bishopi are 
allopatric in distribution and can be separated by the coloration of the 
carapace, sternum and legs: orange-red in L. bishopi; black in L. 
variolus , light brown in L. curacaviensis from Curacao. The genitalia 
of the three species are surprisingly similar (Figure 1-13) ; however, 
among Florida specimens there seem to be slight differences in the 
shape of the hard sclerotized parts of the palpus. These differences 
are not seen between L. bishopi and New England specimens of L. 
variolus. Latrodectus curacaviensis seems to be smaller and more 
colorful (Figs. 16, 17) than the other two. It also has a comparatively 
long carapace. A similar pair of Latrodectus species is L. mactans tre- 
decimguttatus (Rossi) and L. pallidus O. P. Cambridge in the Near 
East, differing in color and texture of the abdomen, but not in the 
structure of genitalia. 
Coloration 
It is well known that juvenile widows are brighter colored, with 
streaks and marks, than the adults. It was completely overlooked in 
Explanation of Plate 2 
Figs. 1-3. Cleared dorsal view of epigyna. 1 . Latrodectus curacaviensis 
(Muller) from Curasao. 2. L. bishopi Kaston. 3. L. variolus Walckenaer 
from Torreya State Park, northwestern Florida. 
Figs. 4-7. Latrodectus bishopi Kaston, left male palpus. 4. Mated indi- 
vidual. 5-7. Virgin individual. 4, 5. Mesal view. 6. Ventral view. 7. Ectal 
view. 
Figs. 8-10. Latrodectus variolus Walckenaer, male palpus, virgin individual 
from Torreya State Park, northwestern Florida. 8. Mesal view. 9. Ventral 
view. 10. Ectal view. 
Figs. 11-13. Latrodectus variolus Walckenaer, male palpus, mated individ- 
ual from Vermont. 11. Mesal view. 12. Ventral view. 13. Ectal view. 
All figures are drawn at the same magnification. 
