Author Institution: Faculty of Entomology, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 4321

Berry, Richard Lee

Venard, Carl Ernest

The Ohio Journal of Science

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LOXOSCELES RUFESCENS FOUND IN COLUMBUS, OHIO.1—On March20, 1969, a large female Loxosceles spider was found by us in the sub-basement ofthe Botany and Zoology Building, The Ohio State University, Columbus. Thespecimen was identified as Loxosceles and examination of the female's seminalreceptacles (figured in Gertsch, 1958) revealed that it was Loxosceles rufescensDufour. This determination was confirmed by Dr. Willis J. Gertsch. In furthersearches throughout the sub-basement and adjoining greenhouse, three additionalmature females, a mature male, and three immature specimens were found.There was evidence of a long-standing infestation in the area inspected; cast skinsand webs were found under desks, in dark corners, behind cabinets, and in othersimilar undisturbed and neglected sites.Loxosceles rufescens apparently has not been associated with cases of humanloxoscelism, but in experiments done on mice and rabbits, the venom of L. rufescenshas been found to have effects similar to those of Loxosceles reclusa (Smith andMicks, 1968; Shulov et al., 1962). In the future, persons identifying Loxoscelesfrom Ohio and adjacent states should not assume it to be L. reclusa merely be-cause it has six eyes and the characteristic fiddle-shaped marking on the cephalo-throax, because L. rufescens also has these characteristics. The occurrence ofLoxosceles reclusa Gertsch and Mulaik in Ohio has been announced in releases fromthe Ohio Department of Health and The Ohio State University. Margaret A.Parsons of the Ohio Department of Health and the authors of this note are presentlypreparing a detailed report on the distribution and biology of these two speciesof Loxosceles in Ohio. We are happy to acknowledge the kindness of Dr. Willis J.Gertsch in examining some of our specimens, submitted by Frank Moore of theEntomology Museum of The Ohio State University.—RICHARD LEE BERRYand CARL E. VENARD; Faculty of Entomology, Ohio State University, Columbus,Ohio 43210.Manuscript received May 9, 1969.REFERENCESGertsch, W. J. 1958. The spider genus Loxosceles in North America, Central America, andthe West Indies. Am. Mus. Novitates, No. 1907, pp. 1-46, figs. 1-97.Smith, C. W. and D. W. Micks. 1968. A comparative study of the venom and other com-ponents of three species of Loxosceles. Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg. 17(4): 651-656.Shulov, A., M. Ickowicz, and H. Pener-Salomon. 1962. Observations on the influence of thevenom of Loxosceles rufescens (Dufour, 1820) (Sicariidae, Areneina) on white mice. Verh.xi Intern. Kongr. Entom., Wien. 1960. 2, VII-XIV: 499-501.

Loxosceles Rufescens Found in Columbus, Ohio

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Loxosceles Rufescens Found in Columbus, Ohio

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