Which spider bite is classically associated with a delayed onset intense pain due to a neurotoxin?

• A. Brown recluse
• B. Black widow
• C. Hobo spider
• D. Daddy longlegs

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is that a neurotoxic spider bite can cause intense pain by disrupting nerve signaling. The venom of the black widow contains latrotoxins that trigger massive, abnormal release of neurotransmitters at neuromuscular junctions. This leads to severe pain and widespread muscle cramping, often with autonomic symptoms like sweating, tachycardia, and hypertension. The onset can be relatively rapid, but in some cases the marked pain and systemic effects develop after a short delay, which fits the description of a delayed-onset intense pain driven by a neurotoxin. This distinguishes it from bites that are primarily cytotoxic and cause necrosis (like brown recluse) or from bites that are typically mild (such as daddy longlegs) or whose relevance as a neurotoxin is not established (hobo spider).