Taxonomy
The Redback spider is a member of the spider genus Latrodectus, in the family Theridiidae. It is related to the best-known member of the group, the black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans), found in North America and other regions. Close relatives of the redback are the katipo (Latrodectus katipo), which is native to New Zealand. The common name of "redback" is derived from its distinctive red stripe along the dorsal aspect of its abdomen. Other common names include jockey spider, Murra-ngura spider, Kapara spider and the Kanna-jeri spider.
The species was named in honour of A.W.M. van Hasselt, a colleague of the author Tamerlan Thorell, who described it in 1870.
Read more about this topic: Redback Spider