Relax, dear readers. I was lost in reverie. The culprit is the infamous and thoroughly fictional poisonous spider, Arachnius gluteus , or Blush Spider, a fabricated South American arachnid whose dream habitat happens to be very similar to the rim of a toilet seat. I could go on, but it's better to just point you in the direction of those who know more on this subject than even Dr. D. First, there is the University of California at Riverside's Department of Entomology, then try the Department of Entomology at Iowa State University . Finally, the University of Michigan's Virus Busters Web site details the hoax.
Sketchy bathrooms abound, maybe as much as sketchy urban legends.
You'll never know how pristine, sterile and clean your local public restroom is, but when it comes to the poisonous Blush Spider, on that end, you're covered.