Isolation of a neurotoxin with a presynaptic action from the venom of the black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans, Fabr.)

Toxicon ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-330 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard L. Ornberg ◽  
Thomas Smyth ◽  
Allen W. Benton
Keyword(s):  
Black Widow ◽  
Black Widow Spider ◽  
Presynaptic Action ◽  
Latrodectus Mactans ◽  
Widow Spider

Black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) envenomation in a term pregnancy

2000 ◽  
Vol 57 (4) ◽  
pp. 346-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger P Sherman ◽  
Jeremy M Groll ◽  
Dagoberto I Gonzalez ◽  
Melissa A Aerts
Keyword(s):  
Term Pregnancy ◽  
Black Widow ◽  
Black Widow Spider ◽  
Latrodectus Mactans ◽  
Widow Spider

THE BIOLOGY OF THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER, LATRODECTUS MACTANS

Science ◽  
1935 ◽  
Vol 81 (2090) ◽  
pp. 71-72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wm. L. Jellison ◽  
C. B. Philip
Keyword(s):  
Black Widow ◽  
Black Widow Spider ◽  
Latrodectus Mactans ◽  
Widow Spider

scholarly journals Southern black widow Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius) (Arachnida: Araneae: Theridiidae)

EDIS ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Eiden ◽  
Phillip E. Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Southeastern United States ◽  
Sexual Cannibalism ◽  
Black Widow ◽  
Black Widow Spider ◽  
Fact Sheet ◽  
Natural Settings ◽  
Latrodectus Mactans ◽  
Widow Spider

The Southern black widow spider, Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius), is a venomous spider found throughout the southeastern United States. Widow spiders received their name from the belief that they would kill and consume their mate following copulation. However, the practice was mainly observed in laboratory settings under crowded conditions. It is believed that sexual cannibalism within the widow species in natural settings is more associated with the male’s physical inability to escape rather than the female’s interest in consuming him. This 6-page fact sheet was written by Amanda Eiden and Phil E. Kaufman and published by the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology, May 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in1000

scholarly journals Fine structure of the intercalated disc and cardiac junctions in the black widow spider Latrodectus mactans

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan SUN ◽  
Seung-Min LEE ◽  
Bon-Jin KU ◽  
Myung-Jin Moon
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Muscle ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Cell Junctions ◽  
Intercalated Disc ◽  
Black Widow ◽  
Cardiac Muscle Cells ◽  
Black Widow Spider ◽  
Intercalated Discs ◽  
Latrodectus Mactans ◽  
Widow Spider

Abstract Arthropods have an open circulatory system with a simple tubular heart, so it has been estimated that the contractile pumping structure of the cardiac muscle will be less efficient than that of vertebrates. Nevertheless, certain arthropods are known to have far superior properties and characteristics than vertebrates, so we investigated the fine structural features of intercalated discs and cardiac junctions of cardiac muscle cells in the black widow spider Latrodectus mactans. Characteristically, the spider cardiac muscle has typical striated features and represents a functional syncytium that supports multiple connections to adjacent cells by intercalated discs. Histologically, the boundary lamina of each sarcolemma connects to the basement membrane to form an elastic sheath, and the extracellular matrix allows the cells to be anchored to other tissues. Since the intercalated disc is also part of sarcolemma, it contains gap junctions for depolarization and desmosomes that keep the fibers together during cardiac muscle contraction. Furthermore, fascia adherens and macula adherens (desmosomes) were also identified as cell junctions in both sarcolemma and intercalated discs. To enable the coordinated heartbeat of the cardiac muscle, the muscle fibers have neuronal innervations by multiple axons from the motor ganglion.

A STUDY OF THE MUSCULATURE OF THE BLACK WIDOW SPIDER, LATRODECTUS MACTANS (FABR.)

1959 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 831-870 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. F. Whitehead ◽  
J. G. Rempel
Keyword(s):  
Adult Female ◽  
Serial Sections ◽  
Black Widow ◽  
Black Widow Spider ◽  
Abdominal Appendages ◽  
Latrodectus Mactans ◽  
Intrinsic Muscles ◽  
Widow Spider ◽  
Intrinsic Musculature ◽  
Extrinsic Muscles

By means of serial sections and dissection, 537 individual muscles were found in the adult female Latrodectus mactans, and 533 in the male. The absence of muscles in the male palpal pretarsus represents the only substantial difference found between the muscular systems of the two sexes. The musculature corresponds generally to that described for other species of spiders. Among muscles found in the black widow spider, but not described in other spiders, are those of the coxal gland, the colulus, the ampullate silk duct, and the mid-gut, and some of the muscles of the pedicel, abdomen, and abdominal appendages. The muscles designated "abdominal sac" by various authors are considered to be vestiges of a laterally placed dorsoventral musculature originally joining tergites and sternites. The nature of the intrinsic musculature of the palpi supports the belief that these appendages represent modified legs. Homologies are proposed between the muscles of the pedicel and those of the abdomen, between the extrinsic muscles of the spinnerets and those of the coxae of the legs, and between the intrinsic muscles of the lateral spinnerets and those acting on the trochanter of the legs.

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