So this poor guy is in critical condition after suffering a bite from an alleged “white-tailed spider” (Lampona cylindrata and Lampona murina). There is scant information available about this specific spider and what information is available is not conclusive. It seems that the scientists want to declare that the white-tail does not have specific tissue toxic venom like the brown recluse (Loxoceles reclusa) there is too little data available to make that definitive statement. Isbister and Gray, two very well respected arachnid researchers are doubtful but wisely do not declare definitively that the white-tail bite isn’t lethal. The brown recluse can cause a similar syndrome of necrotic arachnidism with renal failure and hemolysis but it is usually reported in children. That being said, my own father had, in retrospect suffered a near-lethal bout of necrotic arachnidism after a brown recluse bite while in Las Vegas – his doctors completely missed the diagnosis, performed open heart surgery and took off half his foot before he recovered from the toxin. I was in Okinawa, Japan on active duty in the US Navy and I will never forgive myself for not being there to intervene.
