♫ I can’t get no, satisfaction ♪
♫ I can’t get no, satisfaction ♪
♫ I can’t get no, satisfaction ♪

Mating black widow spiders (Latrodectus mactans). The male (lower right) is much smaller than the female. After mating, the female eats the male, a practice which gives this spider its name. The adult female has a highly toxic bite, although it is a shy spider, and will only attack if bothered. The bite is painless at first, but pain develops in the affected limb within a few hours. Muscles become rigid, breathing becomes difficult and nausea and vomiting often occur. Without medical care the victim may fall unconscious and die. The spider usually feeds on small insects. It inhabits forests and grassland in North America.
Hembra (arriba) y macho (abajo). JAMES H. ROBINSON / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
El origen del nombre de la araña “viuda negra” (Latrodectus mactans) se origina en sus hábitos reproductivos. Con frecuencia, si el macho no logra escapar la hembra lo devora después de la cópula, quedando así “viuda”.
Vota!
Bonus Track
Una de las técnicas empleadas por los machos para escapar es cortar porciones de la telaraña para desorientar a la hembra.
Fuentes
David L. Evans, Justin O. Schmidt. "Insect defenses: adaptive mechanisms and strategies of prey and predators". SUNY series in animal behavior. Ed. SUNY Press, 1990 ISBN 9780887068966. Pág. 72http://books.google.com/books?id=jpxkhS7O0p0C&pg=PA72