Te katipō

Katipo spider

Latrodectus katipo (Powell)

Katipō [Latrodectus katipo]. Image: mark anderson / CC-BY-SA

Katipō Latrodectus katipo. Image: mark anderson / CC-BY-SA

Pūtoi
Order: Araneae
Whānau
Family: Theridiidae

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Te Rahi

He pūngāwerewere āhua iti nei, e 8 mm pea te roa o te tinana.

Size range

Small to medium–sized spider. Body length about 8 mm

Te Tītaringa

Nō Aotearoa te katipō, ko tana uri tata, ko te Tuarā–whero o Ahitereiria.
Kei Te Ika me Te Waka a Māui.

Distribution

Katipo is a New Zealand native, closely related to the Australian Redback
North and South Island

Te Huringa Ora

Ko te takutai tōna kāinga – kitea ai i raro i te tāwhaowhao, i ngā pātÔtÔ rānei o te takutai.
Ka hanga māwhaiwhai hāpiripiri iti, hei hopu i ngā pÔtara me ētahi atu pepeke ngaoki.
He paitini, he tāoke tana kakati. Heoi, kei te hōhipera te rongoā whakaora.

Life history

Found only near the seashore, under drift wood or associated with coastal grasses
Makes a small sticky web to snare beetles and other crawling insects
Bite is poisonous. Antidote is available at hospitals

Katipō [Latrodectus katipo]. Image: mark anderson / CC-BY-SA Image — Katipō Latrodectus katipo. Image: mark anderson / CC-BY-SA

Katipo with sticky web. Image: Arnim Littek / CC-BY Image — Katipo with sticky web. Image: Arnim Littek / CC-BY

Katipō egg sac and young hatchlings. Image: Arnim Littek / CC-BY Image — Katipō egg sac and young hatchlings. Image: Arnim Littek / CC-BY