Loxosceles laeta (NICOLET, 1849) is a cosmopolitan species with great resistance and longevity which favors its passive distribution for different countries. In the municipal district of Curitiba, south Brazil, this species represents 10% of the occurrences. In view of the medical importance and the need for understanding distribution and colonization patterns of antropic environments by species of the genus Loxosceles, the objective of the present study was to characterize the sexual behavior of L. laeta. A number of 60 couples represented by old and young virgin females with virgin males were analyzed. The sexual behavior of L. laeta was characterized by the intense use of the web and for the exhibition of motor patterns related to higher levels of aggressivity when compared with other species of the genus. In old females the predominant motor patterns were linked to a larger receptivity. However, the interactions were longer which seems that this pattern may be related to the larger amount of webs found in the container. The sexual behavior exhibited by L. laeta characterizes his sedentary habit and aggressiveness.
Curitiba; Loxosceles intermedia; poisonous
