Loxosceles deserta
Encyclopedia
Loxosceles deserta, commonly known as the desert recluse, is a brown spider
of the Sicariidae
family.
The desert recluse is commonly misidentified as L. unicolor (of South America
) or as L. reclusa
(the brown recluse of the southern
and midwestern states), two spiders which do not live anywhere near the vicinity.
, the southern tip of Nevada
, and the western half of Arizona
, as well as the southwestern corner of Utah
.
It dwells mainly in the wild, and its only domestic occurrence is that near native vegetation, avoiding urban areas in the desert and even green lawns. The spiders are particularly dense in packrat dens.
ous bite of the desert recluse. For more detailed information on the bite of this and other brown spiders, see Recluse spider#Venom components and effects.
Recluse spider
The recluse spiders or brown spiders , also known as fiddle-back, violin spiders or reapers, are a venomous genus of spiders known for their necrotic bite, which sometimes produces a characteristic set of symptoms known as Loxoscelism...
of the Sicariidae
Sicariidae
Sicariidae is a family of six-eyed venomous spiders known for their necrotic bites. The members of this family are haplogyne by definition . The family consists of two genera, Loxosceles and Sicarius, and contains about 120 species...
family.
The desert recluse is commonly misidentified as L. unicolor (of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
) or as L. reclusa
Brown recluse spider
The brown recluse spider or violin spider, Loxosceles reclusa, is a member of the family Sicariidae . The spider has a venomous bite....
(the brown recluse of the southern
Southern States
Southern States may refer to:*Southern United States*Southern States Cooperative*The independent states of the South in the North-South divide*The independent states of the Southern hemisphere...
and midwestern states), two spiders which do not live anywhere near the vicinity.
Distribution
This spider can be found in the eastern half of southern CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, the southern tip of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
, and the western half of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
, as well as the southwestern corner of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
It dwells mainly in the wild, and its only domestic occurrence is that near native vegetation, avoiding urban areas in the desert and even green lawns. The spiders are particularly dense in packrat dens.
Venom
Lesions of the skin can be caused by the venomVenom
Venom is the general term referring to any variety of toxins used by certain types of animals that inject it into their victims by the means of a bite or a sting...
ous bite of the desert recluse. For more detailed information on the bite of this and other brown spiders, see Recluse spider#Venom components and effects.