Family Theraphosidae

MYGALOMORPH SPIDERS

This group of spiders is the most primitive in Australia. They are commonly called Trap-door or Funnel-web spiders and most of them are terrestrial burrowers. The burrows are varied in form and depth and may or may not have a lid. All are silk lined to some degree. The males of this group usually mate in the burrows and die soon after mating takes place.

The females live for many years and may mate in subsequent years. Mygalomorph spiders may be identified by the par-axial chelicerae, and the presence of four lung books or lung covers. These spiders are usually of nocturnal habits.

The males are vagrants, and will readily attack anything which provokes them, irrespective of size. The females live in the burrows where they rear the brood. The egg-sac is suspended in the burrow and after the eggs hatch, the young remain in the burrow with the female for several months. The young disperse during damp weather when the ground is soft and dig their own tiny burrows within hours.

To attack, these spiders raise the front half of their bodies and the front legs off the ground, then strike forwards and downwards. As the spider strikes, it grips the victim with tis fronts legs and sinks the fangs simultaneously. All mygalomorph spiders should be treated with cauton for some have highly toxic venom and all can inflict a deep and painful wound as the fangs are long and strong

A veritable giant, the body of this spider reaches a length of 55mm. This species is consider a tropical spider, and is fairly common and widespread in Queensland. The male is slightly smaller and slimmer than the female, though still a large and powerful spider. The female pictured killed and ate a half grown tree frog in six hours. All that remained of the frog after that times as a ball of debris 2 cm in diameter, which contained bones and skin in a mushy state. When one considers the fact that spiders have no teeth and mygalomorph spiders rely on digestive fluids to dissolve their food, this feat is remarkable, The fangs of this species may be up to 8.5mm in length, truly formidable weapons.

description

Body length:	male up to 40mm, female up to 55mm.
Colour:	various shades of dusty brown.
Identification:	by first pair of legs which are longer and stouter than the fourth pair with long hairs.
Egg sac:	35mm x 30mm, oval in shape, thicker in the centre of very white, tough silk.
Eggs:	2mm in diameter, translucent, a rich yellow in colour, 48 in number.
Burrow:	up to 60cm in depth, sinuous, with a silken sheet spread from the entrance to entangle prey.
Food:	small birds (allegedly), frogs and large insects.

This is a nocturnal species