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search  Tarantism is an alleged, possibly deadly envenomation,
popularly believed to result from the bite of a kind of wolf
spider called a "tarantula" (Lycosa tarantula). (These spiders
are different from the broad class of spiders called
"Tarantulas".) Later through extensive research it was shown[by
whom?] to be caused by the bite of Latrodectus tredecimguttatus,
commonly known as the Mediterranean black widow or steppe
spider. However, the term historically is used to refer to a
dancing mania characteristic of Southern Italy and which likely
had little to do with spider bites.   It was originally
described in the 11th century.[1] The condition was common in
southern Italy during the 16th and 17th centuries. There were
strong suggestions that there is no organic cause for the
heightened excitability and restlessness that gripped the
victims. The stated belief of the time was that victims needed
to engage in frenzied dancing to prevent death from ta