New widow spider record of Latrodectus dahli Levi (Araneae: Theridiidae) extends known range in Northern Saudi Arabia
New widow spider record of Latrodectus dahli Levi (Araneae: Theridiidae) extends known range in Northern Saudi Arabia
ABSTRACT
Researchers have documented the first confirmed occurrence of Dahl’s widow spider (Latrodectus dahlivn Saudi Arabia’s Ha’il Region, extending the species’ known range into the country’s north. The finding fills an important gap in the spider’s Middle Eastern distribution and highlights how even medically important species remain under-documented in parts of the Arabian Peninsula. L. dahli Levi is a medically significant widow spider that is found in North Africa, Cyprus, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, the Middle East, Iran and Central Asia. Prior to our work, there had been no records of it in northern Saudi Arabia although it had been found in central regions of Saudi Arabia such as Al Duwadimi, Riyadh and Al Kharj. Here we report that three adult females were collected between November 2024 and October 2025 in the area between Ha’il City and Al Jithamiyah. For all specimens, identification was confirmed based on morphological characteristics, including body form, eye arrangement, epigynal structure, and a uniformly dark abdomen. Overall, the updated distribution data suggest the possibility of a more extensive, yet underrecognized, presence of L. dahli across the Middle East.
Aloufi, B. H., & Alshammari, A. A. A. (2026). New widow spider record of Latrodectus dahli Levi (Araneae: Theridiidae) extends known range in Northern Saudi Arabia. Biodiversity, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/14888386.2026.2716068