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Records of Latrodectus Geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Japan

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Records of Latrodectus Geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Japan Acta arachnol., 44(2) : 167-170, December 30, 1995 Records of Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae) from Japan HirotsuguONOI' 小 野 展 嗣1):日 本 に お け るハ イ イ ロ ゴ ケ グ モ(ク モ 目:ヒ メ グ モ科)の 記 録 Abstract The brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus C. L. KoCH,1841, is re- corded from Japan for the first time. Some females with egg sacs and numerous spiderlings were collected in the winter season in an urban park adjoining the con- tainer wharf at the port of Yokohama. According to the information received from colleagues by personal communication, spiders of this species were also found at the ports of Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Okinawa, and some other dominant trade ports in Japan. Latrodectus spiders commonly known to be poisonous occasionally bring serious problems of the public health in the world; for instance, Latrodectus trede- cimguttatus Rossi, 1790, in southern Europe and Africa bordering the Mediter- ranean, "L. mactans" (L. hesperus CHAMBERLINet IYIE, 1935, and L. variolus WALCKENAER,1937) in North and Central America, L. curacaviensis (MULLER,1776) in South America, and L. hasseltii THORELL,1870, in Australia (MARETIC,1987; MARETIC& LEBEZ,1979; THORP& WELDON,1945; GERTSCH,1979; SUTHERLAND, 1989; etc.). Though the amount of trade has increased year by year, the policy for natural- ization of animals was not the best in Japan. Latrodectus spiders were not known in Japan with the exception of "Latrodectus hasseltii" recorded from Yaeyama Islands (IKEHARA& SHIMOJANA,1975; YAGINUMA,1986). A case of serious illness caused by the spider was also reported from Iriomotejima Island (OR!, 1973). However, these records were based on a misidentification; having examined some specimens identified with "L. hasseltii" collected in Ishigakijima Island by courtesy of Dr. C. OKUMA,I recognized that the spiders, in fact, belong to another species presumably a native of East Asia (ONo, in preparation). On the other hand, in the autumn of this year, occurring of the true red back spider, Latrodectus hasseltii, was recognized in Japan. A juvenile female specimen was collected at Takaishi-shi, Osaka on the 11th September. That was the start of a hygienic and arachnological problem of Latrodectus spiders in Japan. Many red back spiders were found in the urban areas of Takaishi-shi, Sakai-shi and Kishi- wada-shi in Osaka Prefecture and Yokkaichi-shi in Mie Prefecture. The spider was identified by Prof. Y. NISHIKAWAwith "Latrodectus mactans hasselti" and the 1) Department of Zoology, National ScienceMuseum, 3-23-1, Hyakunin-cho,Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 169Japan ( f 11 4f9 ¶169 ,AJT 3-23-1 AcceptedDecember 25, 1995 168 H. ONo discovery was reported and published under the same name (NISHIKAwA,1995 a-d; NISHIKAWA& KANAZAWA,1995). A kind of arachnophobia and an overcare reac- tion of the Japanese journalism and broadcasting partly arose from this treatment. All the data of the species, Latrodectus mactans, sensu LEvI (1959) were considered for the Japanese case. His taxonomic treatment was revised by himself (LEVI,1983). Through a notification by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, researches on Latrodectus spiders were made at each quarantine station in Japan. In one of the control areas of Yokohama Office of the Ministry, namely in an urban park adjoining the container wharf of the port of Yokohama, two females of a Latrodectus species were collected by the staff on the 27th November. These were identified by Mr. H. IKEDA,arachnologist, with Latrodectus geometricus (C. L. KOCH, 1841). Following his advice I made a half day research at the same park and obtained several speci- mens of the spider occurring there. These records are reported in the following lines. Before going further I wish to express my cordial thanks to Mr. Hiroyoshi IKEDA,Kanagawa, for giving me the opportunity to study this interesting spider, to Prof. Yoshiaki NISHIKAWA,Osaka, for his invaluable advice, and to Mr. Akio TANIKAWA,Kanagawa, for critically reading the manuscript of the present short paper. Many thanks are also due to Dr. Rokuro KANO, Tokyo, Mr. Kiyoto OGATA,Aichi, Dr. Chiyoko OKUMA,Fukuoka, and Mr. Eiichi SHINKAI,Tokyo, for their various aid. Latrodectus geometricus (C. L. KOCH, 1841) (Figs. 1-2) Latrodectusgeometricus C.L. KoCH,1841,p. 117 (typearea: Colombia,South America). For the literatures see BONNET(1957) and further catalogues. Life history of the spider was studied by HEERES(1991, 1993) in SouthAfrica. Specimens examined. 6 1 juv. ~, 3 egg sacs with numerous juveniles, about 50 new and old egg sacs, the park of Symbolic Tower, Honmoku, Yokohama Pref., Japan, 9-XII-1995, H. ONO leg. (the specimens are presereved in the arachnid col- lection of the Department of Zoology, National Science Museum, Tokyo). Notes. The spiders were collected from underside of benches put in a corner in the park adjoining the place for containers of transport companies (Fig. 3). Eighteen webs from 7 benches (Fig. 4) were observed. Of these, 6 were respective- ly occupied by a female with egg sacs; in 9 webs, only old egg sacs were found; re- maining 3 webs were vacant. The temperature under a bench was 11°C at 15:00. According to the condition of the spiders and their webs, this spider seems to be able to overwinter in this place. The colour of abdomen of the females was variable from light beige to black. After preparation of the manuscript of this paper I was informed by col- leagues (personal communication) further records of this species from the ports of Tokyo (SHINKAI),Nagoya (OGATA),Osaka and Urasoe, Okinawa Island (NISHIKAWA), and some other dominant trade ports in Japan. While Latrodectus hasseltii was found only in Osaka and Yokkaichi, L. geometricus seems to be widely distributed in southern Japan. Latrodectus geometricus from Japan 169 Fig. 1-4. 1-2, Latrodectus geometricus, female from Yokohama, Japan.-l, Dorsal view; 2, lateral view (scale bar: 5 mm). 3, Containers of the Honmoku Wharf, Yokohama. 4, A view of the urban park adjoining the wharf, habitat of Latrodectus geometricus. 摘 要 ハ イ イ ロ ゴ ケ グ モ(Latrodectusgeometricus)(ヒ メ グ モ 科)を 日本 か ら初 め て 記 録 した. 横 浜 港 の コ ン テ ナ 埠 頭 に 隣 接 す る 人 工 的 な 公 園 に お い て,冬 期 に 数 個 体 の 卵 の うを も っ た ♀ お よ び 多 数 の 幼 生 が 採 集 さ れ た.他 の 研 究 者 の 私 信 に よ れ ば,同 種 の ク モ が 主 要 な 貿 易 港 で あ る 東 京,名 古 屋,大 阪 お よ び 浦 添 市 な ど の 港 湾 地 域 で も発 見 さ れ て い る. References BONNET,P., 1957. Latrodectus WALCKENAER. In: Bibliographia araneorum, analyse methodique de tout la literature araneologique jusqu `en 1939, 2(3), pp. 2364-2383. Douladoure, Toulouse. GERTSCH,W. J., 1979. American Spiders, (second ed.). xii+274 pp., pls. I-XXXII, cot, p1. 1-32. Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York. HEERES,A., 1991. Natural history obsevations of the brown widow spider Latrodectus geometricus (Araneae: Theridiidae). Naturalist, Port Elizabeth, 35: 31-34. 1993. Life history of the busy brown widow. Afr. Wildlife, 47(1): 14-16. IKEHARA, S., & M. SHIMOJANA,1975. Terrestrial Animals of Okinawa. 143 pp. Fudoki-sha, Naha. KOCH, C. L., 1841. Die Arachniden. Achter Band, pp. 1-131, pls. CCLII-CCLXXXVIII. Nurnberg. (Non vidi.) 170 H. ONo LEVI, H. W., 1959. The spider genus Latrodectus (Araneae, Theridiidae). Trans. Amer. microscop. Soc., 78: 7-43. 1983. On the value of genitalic structures and coloration in separating species of widow spiders (Latrodectus sp.) (Arachnida: Araneae: Theridiidae). Veh. naturw. Ver. Hamburg, (NF), 26: 195-200. MARETIC, Z., 1987. Spider venoms and their effect. In NENTWIG, W. (ed.) : Ecophysiology of Spiders, pp. 142-159. Springer-Varlag, Berlin. & D. LEBEZ, 1979. Araneism, with Special Reference to Europe. 255 pp. Nolit Pub- lishing House, Belgrade. NISHIKAWA,Y., 1976. Notes on the venomous spiders (funnel-web spider and red-back spider) in Australia. Otemon Bull. Austral. Stud., 2: 176-193. (In Japanese, with English abstract.) 1995 a. Information materials made by Osaka Prefecture (19th November). (In Japanese.) 1995 b. A brief material for press (23rd November). (In Japanese.) 1995 c. [Beware of the venomous spider ! Latrodectus mactans (Seaka-gokegumo) landed at Osaka.] Nature Study (Osaka Museum of Natural History), 41(12): 11-12. (In Japanese.) 1995 d. [Notes on the red back spider.] Acta arachnol., 44: 205-207. (In Japanese.) & I. KANAZAWA,1995. [Report on a problem of venomous spiders.] News Japn. Soc. Curators Ent., Osaka, (5) : 6-11. (In Japanese.) ORI, M., 1973. [A visionary record of the red back spider.] Atypus, (61) : 27-31. (In Japanese.) SUTHERLAND,S. K., 1988. Venomous Creatures of Australia. A Field Guide with Notes on First Aid, (revised ed.). 128 pp. Oxford University Press, Melbourne. THORP, R. W., & W. D. WooDsoN, 1945. Black Widow, America's Most Poisonous Spider, viii +222 pp. University of North Carolina Press, Kingsport. YAGINUMA,T., 1986. Spiders of Japan in Color, (new ed.). xxiv+305 pp., 64 pls, Hoiku-sha, Osaka..
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