# Redback spider (*Latrodectus hasselti*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/redback-spider  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

The redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti) is a spider in the family Theridiidae, part of the order Araneae within the class Arachnida. It belongs to the genus Latrodectus and was named by Thorell, 1870. Other English names for it are Redback, Jockey spider, Red-back spider and Australian black widow. Checklists record it in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 3 mm – 1 cm |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | Not recorded |
| Young per litter or clutch | 250 |
| Reproduction | Eggs |
| Active | At night (nocturnal) |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | 2 countries |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Arthropoda
- class: Arachnida
- order: Araneae
- family: Theridiidae
- genus: Latrodectus
- species: *Latrodectus hasselti* Thorell, 1870

Synonyms: *Latrodectus hasselti ancorifer*, *Latrodectus hasselti aruensis*, *Latrodectus hasselti indicus*, *Latrodectus scelio*

## Countries on record

Countries where Catalogue of Life checklists list the species. Many checklists carry no country data, so the list is often incomplete. It is not a range map.

Indonesia, Papua New Guinea

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the redback spider?

The redback spider is a spider, an arachnid in the family Theridiidae and the order Araneae.

### What is the scientific name of the redback spider?

Its scientific name is Latrodectus hasselti, placing it in the genus Latrodectus.

### Who named the redback spider?

The redback spider was named by Thorell, 1870.

### Which countries is the redback spider recorded in?

Checklists record the redback spider in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

### What other names does the redback spider have?

It is also called Redback, Jockey spider, Red-back spider and Australian black widow.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/redback-spider