The Conversation

Hidden housemates: the Australian redback spider

Author: The Conversation USA

Latrodectus hasseltii, the redback spider. Toby Hudson/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

Australia is infamous for its deadly snakes, spiders and sea creatures. One of the most notoriously dangerous is the redback spider, Latrodectus hasselti, which is similar to the widow spiders found in the United States and worldwide.

What makes these creatures so...

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