redback spider

noun

: a theridiid spider (Latrodectus hasselti) that is closely related to the American black widow and probably identical with the katipo, has a venom which produces neurotoxic symptoms in man, and occurs in Australia, New Zealand, and the major islands of the East Indies

called also red-streaked spider

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Cite this Entry

“Redback spider.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/redback%20spider. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

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