Figure 96. Latrodectus female and web. A in Morphological phylogeny of cobweb spiders and their relatives (Araneae, Araneoidea, Theridiidae)

Figure 96. Latrodectus female and web. A, Latrodectus sp., ventral view (Phinda, S-Africa). B, ditto, dorsal view. C–F, L. geometricus web (Berenty reserve, Madagascar). C, female in retreat of web, located in a crevice on a tree trunk about 1.5 m above the ground. D, the retreat opens to a domed sheet, that leads down nearer to the ground. E, 20-30 cm above the ground the sheet turns into a typical cobweb mesh, from which gumfoot lines lead to the ground. F, tips of gumfoot lines (227-1); this trapping area of the web is nearly 2 m away from the female's retreat.