#4375 · 🕷️ spiders & kin

Mediterranean recluse

Loxosceles rufescens

7 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

1. © faluke · CC BY-NC 4.0
2. © Daniel Caleca · CC BY-NC 4.0
3. © Ivan L. F. Magalhaes · CC BY-NC 4.0
4. © Ivan L. F. Magalhaes · CC BY-NC 4.0
5. © Daniel Caleca · CC BY-NC 4.0
6. © yakov_salaviz · CC BY-NC 4.0
7. © Ludivine Lamare · CC BY 4.0

what is it?

Loxosceles rufescens , the Mediterranean recluse spider , originated in the Mediterranean region as its name implies, but is now found worldwide.

base stats

NL sightings 0iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 4,502iNaturalist observations

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
4,502 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
Scientifically named by Léon Dufour in 1820 (206 years ago).

fact sheet

English: Mediterranean recluse
scientific name: Loxosceles rufescens
class: Arachnida
order: Araneae
family: Sicariidae
sightings in NL: 0
sightings in Europe: 3,095
sightings worldwide: 4,502
GBIF records in NL: 1
weight: —
length: —
lifespan: —
named: 1820 by Léon Dufour

Sources: iNaturalist taxon 151792, Wikidata Q2301444, GBIF 5170652, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.