Theridiidae

A Dictionary of Zoology | 1999 | 602 words | Copyright

Theridiidae (cobweb spiders comb-footed spiders; order Araneae, suborder Araneomorphae) Family of spiders, which have a vertical comb of serrated bristles on the tarsi of the fourth legs which is used to throw threads of silk over the prey items caught in their webs. In general they are a medium to small (0.1–1.5 cm long), glossy species, with large, protuberant eyes, and the habit of making tangled, three-dimensional webs with sticky threads on the periphery. There are more than 1300 species, including the infamous Latrodectus mactans (black widow spider) whose venom is toxic to mammals.

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MICHAEL ALLABY. "Theridiidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Theridiidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Theridiidae.html

MICHAEL ALLABY. "Theridiidae." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-Theridiidae.html

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