Kukulcania santosi

NATURAL HISTORY: Label data indicate that specimens have been taken in synanthropic settings such as walls and around villages and houses. Others have been collected in lush cloud forest (in Costa Rica) or dry, rocky, disturbed roadsides (in Peru). Brescovit and Santos (2013) reported that specimens collected by them were always associated with human dwellings, walls, or piles of debris. They also observed females guarding egg sacs (fig. 1 G) or accompanied by immatures in their webs (fig. 1 H), suggesting maternal care for the offspring. Alegre et al. (1977) studied the venom of this species. Rabbits and rats inoculated with extremely high doses (pooled venoms from 8 – 10 glands) presented symptoms such as rapid muscular contractions, increased salivation, urination, and rapid respiration, with eventual death of some animals. However, they concluded this species is not potentially dangerous to humans.