North American spider Latrodectus mactans. The male is small and harmless, but the female is 1.3 cm/0.5 in long with a red patch below the abdomen and a powerful venomous bite. The bite causes pain and fever in human victims, but they usually recover.
Blue symbolizes hope, the clear sky, and the streams of the south. Yellow stands for the sun and the Sahara Desert. Red represents unity, prosperity, and national sacrifice. Effective date: 6 November 1959.