Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe vs Wolf

Latrodectus mactans compared with Canis lupus

Key Differences

• Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe is Not Evaluated while Wolf is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe	Wolf
Kingdom same	Animalia (Tier)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Gliederfüßer)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Arachnida (Spinnentiere)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Araneae (Webspinnen)	Carnivora (Raubtiere)
Family	Theridiidae	Canidae (Dogs & Wolves)
Genus	Latrodectus	Canis (Dogs & Wolves)
Species	Latrodectus mactans	Canis lupus

Evolutionary Relationship

Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe and Wolf share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Tier)

Conservation Status

Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe

NE — Not Evaluated

Wolf

CR — Critically Endangered

Population: ~300.0K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe	Wolf
Diet	—	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	—	13 years
Average Length	—	1.6 m
Average Weight	—	45.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe

Habitat

Typically found in terrestrial habitats from forests to deserts.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Japan), Europe (8 countries), North America (United States), and South America (Ecuador).

Wolf

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, deserts and xeric shrublands, and tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, among 13 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (Seychelles), Asia (Japan), Europe (5 countries), North America (7 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (Marshall Islands, Vanuatu), and South America (5 countries). Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Amerikanische Schwarze Witwe

The southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is one of North America's most recognizable and medically significant spiders, a member of the genus Latrodectus within the family Theridiidae. Females are glossy black with the iconic red hourglass marking on the underside of the abdomen, and reach approximately 8–15 millimeters in body length; males are smaller, paler, and largely harmless. The species constructs irregular, low-lying cobwebs in dark, sheltered locations including woodpiles, outbuildings, hollow logs, rock piles, and debris, where it waits for prey—primarily insects—to blunder into the sticky tangle. Distribution spans the southeastern United States westward through Texas and northward into more temperate zones, with range overlap with related widow species. The venom of Latrodectus mactans contains alpha-latrotoxin, a potent neurotoxin that triggers massive release of neurotransmitters at synaptic junctions, causing the syndrome of latrodectism: severe muscle cramps, pain, hypertension, and autonomic disturbances. Despite its fearsome reputation, bites are rarely fatal in healthy adults when medical treatment is available. Females are cannibalistic toward males, though this behavior is less consistent in nature than laboratory conditions suggest. The species plays an important ecological role in controlling insect populations in arid and semi-arid habitats. Its conservation status has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN.

Wolf

The most widely distributed wild canid, gray wolves range from North America across Eurasia in diverse habitats including tundra, forests, and grasslands. Highly social animals living in family packs led by a dominant breeding pair. As keystone predators, wolves regulate prey populations and profoundly shape ecosystem structure, as demonstrated by their reintroduction in Yellowstone. Once heavily persecuted, populations are recovering in many regions.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 7 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇯🇵 Japan 🇳🇴 Norway 🇸🇪 Sweden 🇺🇸 United States