Verified bites by the woodlouse spider, Dysdera crocata

Toxicon. 2006 Jun 1;47(7):826-9. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2006.02.002. Epub 2006 Mar 30.

Abstract

Bites by the woodlouse spider, Dysdera crocata, are virtually innocuous. The main symptom is minor pain, typically lasting less than 1h, probably due mostly to mechanical puncture of the skin. However, because the spider has a strong proclivity to bite, has large fangs which it bares when threatened and is commonly mistaken for the medically important brown recluse spider in the United States, documentation of the mild effects of its bites may prevent excessive, unwarranted and possibly harmful treatment. We present information on eight verified bites reported to us as well as eight additional bites recorded in the literature.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Animals
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Spider Bites / diagnosis*
  • Spider Bites / epidemiology
  • Spider Bites / pathology
  • Spider Bites / physiopathology*
  • Spiders / anatomy & histology
  • Spiders / physiology*