Steppe spider
Latrodectus tredecimguttatus (Rossi, 1790)
Status not recordedspiders
The steppe spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) is an arachnid in the spider subgroup, belonging to the family Theridiidae and the genus Latrodectus. Other English names for it are European black widow, Mediterranean black widow and Mediterranean black widow spider.
Quick facts about the steppe spider
It is classified in the kingdom Animalia, phylum Arthropoda, class Arachnida and order Araneae, and its scientific name carries the authority (Rossi, 1790).
- Weight
- Not recorded
- Length
- Not recorded
- Lifespan
- Not recorded
- Main food
- Not recorded
- Habitat
- Not recorded
- Young per litter or clutch
- Not recorded
- Conservation status
- Not recorded
- Countries on record
- Not recorded
Photos of the steppe spider
Only freely licensed photos are shown. Each carries its creator and licence.
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Where does the steppe spider live?
Not recorded
What is the steppe spider?
Latrodectus tredecimguttatus, also known as the Mediterranean black widow or the European black widow, is a species in the genus Latrodectus of the widow spiders. It is commonly found throughout the Mediterranean region and central Asia, hence the name. Specimens from central Asia are also known by the binomial name Latrodectus lugubris; that name, however, is now considered improper, though it is still commonly found in the literature. Latrodectus tredecimguttatus was previously considered a subspecies of Latrodectus mactans.
From the Wikipedia article “Latrodectus tredecimguttatus” (en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Latrodectus_tredecimguttatus&oldid=1372950850), by Wikipedia contributors, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). This block is kept separate from our own text.
Is the steppe spider endangered?
No conservation assessment is recorded for this species in our sources. That is not the same as being safe: it has not been matched to an assessment.
How is the steppe spider classified?
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumArthropoda
- classArachnida
- orderAraneae
- familyTheridiidae
- genusLatrodectus
- SpeciesLatrodectus tredecimguttatus (Rossi, 1790)
Synonyms Aranea 13-guttata, Aranea brevipes, Aranea tredecimguttatus, Latrodectes tredecimguttatus, Latrodectus 13-guttatus, Latrodectus 13decimguttatus, Latrodectus 5-guttatus, Latrodectus argus, Latrodectus conglobatus, Latrodectus erebus, Latrodectus hispidus, Latrodectus lugubris, Latrodectus mactans, Latrodectus mactans tredecimguttatus, Latrodectus mactans tredecimiguttatus, Latrodectus malmignatus, Latrodectus martius, Latrodectus oculatus, Latrodectus teredecimguttatus, Latrodectus venator, Meta hispida, Theridion lugubre, Theridion tredecim-guttatum
Other names and names in other languages (31)
- European black widowEnglish
- Mediterranean black widowEnglish
- Mediterranean black widow spiderEnglish
- MalmignattuCorsican
- snovačka jedovatáCzech
- MiddelhavsenkeDanish
- KarakurtGerman
- Europäische Schwarze WitweGerman
- KarakurteGerman
- Mediterrane Schwarze WitweGerman
- Schwarze WitweGerman
- Viuda negra europeaSpanish
- MalmignatteFrench
- Veuve noire d'EuropeFrench
- Veuve noire méditerranéenneFrench
- אלמנה שחורהHebrew
- Crna udovicaCroatian
- Európai fekete özvegyHungarian
- MalmignattaItalian
- Vedova nera mediterraneaItalian
- Europese zwarte weduweDutch
- karakurt trzynastokropkiPolish
- MalmignataPortuguese
- Aranha-viúvaPortuguese
- Viúva-negraPortuguese
- Viúva-negra-mediterrânicaPortuguese
- Латродектус тринадцатиточечныйRussian
- rdečepikasti pajekSlovenian
- Akdeniz Karadul ÖrümceğiTurkish
- Akdeniz KaraduluTurkish
- КаракуртUkrainian
Relatives of the steppe spider
Other species in the same genus Latrodectus.
Black widow spider
Latrodectus mactans
Redback spider
Latrodectus hasselti
Brown widow
Latrodectus geometricus
Western black widow
Latrodectus hesperus
Katipo spider
Latrodectus katipo
Red widow
Latrodectus bishopi
CompareSteppe spider vs Black widow spiderSteppe spider vs Redback spiderSteppe spider vs Brown widowSteppe spider vs Western black widow
Common questions
Each answer is written from the sourced facts on this page, and only where they hold the answer.
What kind of animal is the steppe spider?
The steppe spider is an arachnid in the spider subgroup. It belongs to the order Araneae and the family Theridiidae.
What is the scientific name of the steppe spider?
Its scientific name is Latrodectus tredecimguttatus, placing it in the genus Latrodectus.
Who named Latrodectus tredecimguttatus and when?
The species name carries the authority (Rossi, 1790), meaning Rossi described it in 1790.
What other names does the steppe spider have?
It is also called the European black widow, Mediterranean black widow and Mediterranean black widow spider.
What family does the steppe spider belong to?
The steppe spider belongs to the family Theridiidae, within the class Arachnida and phylum Arthropoda.
Sources and how to cite this page
Data as of 2026-11-11. How this page is put together.
- Catalogue of Life eXtended Release · 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 · 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 · CC0 1.0 · 2026-11-11
Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service). - Wikipedia (English) · 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).
Embed a card for this animal on your own site
Copy this code. The card shows the photo with its credit, key facts and a link back to this page.
CreatureData. (2026). Steppe spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/steppe-spider
“Steppe spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus).” CreatureData, 2026, https://creaturedata.com/animals/steppe-spider.
@misc{steppe_spider_2026,
title = {Steppe spider (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus)},
author = {{CreatureData}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://creaturedata.com/animals/steppe-spider},
note = {Data as of 2026-11-11}
}