Steatoda

Steatoda genus of the cobweb spider family has approximately 120 species, as notified by the World Spider Catalog according to the October 2018 records. Most spiders of this genus, like the Steatoda borealis and Steatoda capensis are often mistaken as widow spiders (Latrodectus) due to the similarity in appearance. However, the cobwebs spiders do not cause much harm to humans like the widow species.

Steatoda Spider

Scientific Classification

Spiders Belonging to this Genus

  • Steatoda adumbrata
  • Steatoda aethiopica
  • Steatoda alamosa
  • Steatoda alboclathrata
  • Steatoda albomaculata
  • Steatoda ancora
  • Steatoda ancorata
  • Steatoda andina
  • Steatoda apacheana
  • Steatoda atascadera
  • Steatoda atrocyanea
  • Steatoda autumnalis
  • Steatoda badia
  • Steatoda bertkaui
  • Steatoda bipunctata
  • Steatoda borealis
  • Steatoda bradyi
  • Steatoda capensis
  • Steatoda carbonaria
  • Steatoda caspia
  • Steatoda castanea
  • Steatoda chinchipe
  • Steatoda cingulata
  • Steatoda connexa
  • Steatoda craniformis
  • Steatoda dahli
  • Steatoda diamantina
  • Steatoda distincta
  • Steatoda ephippiata
  • Steatoda erigoniformis
  • Steatoda fagei
  • Steatoda fallax
  • Steatoda felina
  • Steatoda foravae
  • Steatoda grandis
  • False Black Widow (Steatoda grossa)
  • Steatoda gui
  • Steatoda hespera
  • Steatoda hui
  • Steatoda iheringi
  • Steatoda incomposita
  • Steatoda kiwuensis
  • Steatoda kuytunensis
  • Steatoda latifasciata
  • Steatoda lawrencei
  • Steatoda lenzi
  • Steatoda leonardi
  • Steatoda lepida
  • Steatoda linzhiensis
  • Steatoda livens
  • Steatoda longurio
  • Steatoda mainlingensis
  • Steatoda mainlingoides
  • Steatoda marmorata
  • Steatoda marta
  • Steatoda maura
  • Steatoda mexicana
  • Steatoda micans
  • Steatoda minima
  • Steatoda moerens
  • Steatoda moesta
  • Steatoda morsitans
  • Steatoda nahuana
  • Steatoda nasata
  • Steatoda ngipina
  • Steatoda nigrimaculata
  • Steatoda nigrocincta
  • Steatoda niveosignata
  • False Widow (Steatoda nobilis)
  • Steatoda octonotata
  • Steatoda palomara
  • Steatoda panja
  • Steatoda pardalia
  • Steatoda paykulliana
  • Steatoda pengyangensis
  • Steatoda perakensis
  • Steatoda perspicillata
  • Steatoda picea
  • Steatoda porteri
  • Steatoda punctulata
  • Steatoda quadrimaculata
  • Steatoda quaesita
  • Steatoda quinquenotata
  • Steatoda retorta
  • Steatoda rhombifera
  • Steatoda rubrocalceolata
  • Steatoda rufoannulata
  • Steatoda sabulosa
  • Steatoda sagax
  • Steatoda saltensis
  • Steatoda seriata
  • Steatoda singoides
  • Steatoda sordidata
  • Steatoda speciosa
  • Steatoda spina
  • Steatoda subannulata
  • Steatoda terastiosa
  • Steatoda terebrui
  • Steatoda tigrina
  • Steatoda tortoisea
  • Steatoda transversa
  • Steatoda trianguloides
  • Triangulate Cobweb (Steatoda triangulosa)
  • Steatoda tristis
  • Steatoda truncata
  • Steatoda ulleungensis
  • Steatoda uncata
  • Steatoda variabilis
  • Steatoda variata
  • Steatoda variipes
  • Steatoda vaulogeri
  • Steatoda venator
  • Steatoda violacea
  • Steatoda wangi
  • Steatoda wanshou
  • Steatoda washona
  • Steatoda xerophila
  • Steatoda xishuiensis

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: Females are 0.23-0.59 inches (0.58-1.49 cm), and males are 0.19-0.43 inches (0.48- 1.09 cm). The size varies from one species to the other, but males are smaller than females.

Color: The color varies from pale brown to black to reddish plum.

Other Characteristic Features: They have an oval-shaped abdomen with white, beige, or orange markings that remain partially visible, merging to form a crescent or a triangle.

Steatoda paykulliana of this genus has an orange or reddish marking on its back, which compels people to take it for the highly venomous redback spider.

Eggs

The eggs of most species of this genus could be pale yellow, cream, or even whitish. The shapes also vary from round to oval or even spherical.

Spiderlings

Most of the spiderlings like those of the Steatoda grossa detach from their mother immediately after dispersal,

The Web

They build webs in dark and secured places which are tangled and three-dimensional, comprising sticky silken fibers joined in an irregular fashion.

Are Spiders of the Steatoda Genus Venomous

Some species of this genus, like the Steatoda grossa, and Steatoda nobilis, are known for their venomous bite, whose effect, however, spans between one and sixty hours.

The area around the bite may lead to a blister alongside discomfort, with other mild to moderate symptoms including headache, lethargy, and nausea. Medical professionals often refer to the bites of the steatoda spider as steatodism, described as less severe compared to latrodectism.

Quick Facts

Other Names Cupboard spider
Distribution Africa, America, and Asia
Habitat Garages, backyards, undisturbed places
Diet Woodlice, cockroaches, ladybugs, crickets, and other spiders including black widow
Web Type Cobwebs
Lifespan 1-2 years

Did You Know

  • This genus’s spiders are colloquially referred to as cupboard spiders since they mostly spin webs near dark, undisturbed locations near their house or even gardens, garages, and bins.

Image Credits: spiderid.com

Steatoda genus of the cobweb spider family has approximately 120 species, as notified by the World Spider Catalog according to the October 2018 records. Most spiders of this genus, like the Steatoda borealis and Steatoda capensis are often mistaken as widow spiders (Latrodectus) due to the similarity in appearance. However, the cobwebs spiders do not cause much harm to humans like the widow species.

Steatoda Spider

Spiders Belonging to this Genus

  • Steatoda adumbrata
  • Steatoda aethiopica
  • Steatoda alamosa
  • Steatoda alboclathrata
  • Steatoda albomaculata
  • Steatoda ancora
  • Steatoda ancorata
  • Steatoda andina
  • Steatoda apacheana
  • Steatoda atascadera
  • Steatoda atrocyanea
  • Steatoda autumnalis
  • Steatoda badia
  • Steatoda bertkaui
  • Steatoda bipunctata
  • Steatoda borealis
  • Steatoda bradyi
  • Steatoda capensis
  • Steatoda carbonaria
  • Steatoda caspia
  • Steatoda castanea
  • Steatoda chinchipe
  • Steatoda cingulata
  • Steatoda connexa
  • Steatoda craniformis
  • Steatoda dahli
  • Steatoda diamantina
  • Steatoda distincta
  • Steatoda ephippiata
  • Steatoda erigoniformis
  • Steatoda fagei
  • Steatoda fallax
  • Steatoda felina
  • Steatoda foravae
  • Steatoda grandis
  • False Black Widow (Steatoda grossa)
  • Steatoda gui
  • Steatoda hespera
  • Steatoda hui
  • Steatoda iheringi
  • Steatoda incomposita
  • Steatoda kiwuensis
  • Steatoda kuytunensis
  • Steatoda latifasciata
  • Steatoda lawrencei
  • Steatoda lenzi
  • Steatoda leonardi
  • Steatoda lepida
  • Steatoda linzhiensis
  • Steatoda livens
  • Steatoda longurio
  • Steatoda mainlingensis
  • Steatoda mainlingoides
  • Steatoda marmorata
  • Steatoda marta
  • Steatoda maura
  • Steatoda mexicana
  • Steatoda micans
  • Steatoda minima
  • Steatoda moerens
  • Steatoda moesta
  • Steatoda morsitans
  • Steatoda nahuana
  • Steatoda nasata
  • Steatoda ngipina
  • Steatoda nigrimaculata
  • Steatoda nigrocincta
  • Steatoda niveosignata
  • False Widow (Steatoda nobilis)
  • Steatoda octonotata
  • Steatoda palomara
  • Steatoda panja
  • Steatoda pardalia
  • Steatoda paykulliana
  • Steatoda pengyangensis
  • Steatoda perakensis
  • Steatoda perspicillata
  • Steatoda picea
  • Steatoda porteri
  • Steatoda punctulata
  • Steatoda quadrimaculata
  • Steatoda quaesita
  • Steatoda quinquenotata
  • Steatoda retorta
  • Steatoda rhombifera
  • Steatoda rubrocalceolata
  • Steatoda rufoannulata
  • Steatoda sabulosa
  • Steatoda sagax
  • Steatoda saltensis
  • Steatoda seriata
  • Steatoda singoides
  • Steatoda sordidata
  • Steatoda speciosa
  • Steatoda spina
  • Steatoda subannulata
  • Steatoda terastiosa
  • Steatoda terebrui
  • Steatoda tigrina
  • Steatoda tortoisea
  • Steatoda transversa
  • Steatoda trianguloides
  • Triangulate Cobweb (Steatoda triangulosa)
  • Steatoda tristis
  • Steatoda truncata
  • Steatoda ulleungensis
  • Steatoda uncata
  • Steatoda variabilis
  • Steatoda variata
  • Steatoda variipes
  • Steatoda vaulogeri
  • Steatoda venator
  • Steatoda violacea
  • Steatoda wangi
  • Steatoda wanshou
  • Steatoda washona
  • Steatoda xerophila
  • Steatoda xishuiensis

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: Females are 0.23-0.59 inches (0.58-1.49 cm), and males are 0.19-0.43 inches (0.48- 1.09 cm). The size varies from one species to the other, but males are smaller than females.

Color: The color varies from pale brown to black to reddish plum.

Other Characteristic Features: They have an oval-shaped abdomen with white, beige, or orange markings that remain partially visible, merging to form a crescent or a triangle.

Steatoda paykulliana of this genus has an orange or reddish marking on its back, which compels people to take it for the highly venomous redback spider.

Eggs

The eggs of most species of this genus could be pale yellow, cream, or even whitish. The shapes also vary from round to oval or even spherical.

Spiderlings

Most of the spiderlings like those of the Steatoda grossa detach from their mother immediately after dispersal,

The Web

They build webs in dark and secured places which are tangled and three-dimensional, comprising sticky silken fibers joined in an irregular fashion.

Are Spiders of the Steatoda Genus Venomous

Some species of this genus, like the Steatoda grossa, and Steatoda nobilis, are known for their venomous bite, whose effect, however, spans between one and sixty hours.

The area around the bite may lead to a blister alongside discomfort, with other mild to moderate symptoms including headache, lethargy, and nausea. Medical professionals often refer to the bites of the steatoda spider as steatodism, described as less severe compared to latrodectism.

Quick Facts

Other Names Cupboard spider
Distribution Africa, America, and Asia
Habitat Garages, backyards, undisturbed places
Diet Woodlice, cockroaches, ladybugs, crickets, and other spiders including black widow
Web Type Cobwebs
Lifespan 1-2 years

Did You Know

  • This genus’s spiders are colloquially referred to as cupboard spiders since they mostly spin webs near dark, undisturbed locations near their house or even gardens, garages, and bins.

Image Credits: spiderid.com

Leave a Reply