Funnel-web spider at Black Range, NSW
Identification history
| Hadronyche sp. | 28 May 2020 | AndrewMcCutcheon |
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User's notes
I found this large male Funnel-web Spider with help from one of our resident yellow robins, while I was digging out a dead shrub. The robin was watching for any insects I might disturb. After having caught a few insects, the bird pounced once more on what looked like a large meal, only to jump back in fright when it realized what it was up against - this funnel-web in a defensive posture with its front legs raised and fangs ready to bite. Body length was approx. 25 mm.
2 comments
AndrewMcCutcheon
wrote:
29 May 2020
Hi KerriLee, I did not take any side-on images, as I was not aware at that time of the raised carapace being a diagnostic feature of Hadronyche, or that there was more than one genus of Funnel-web spider. I found out later after reading some information about Funnel-webs, and concluded my spider was a Hadronyche, as the carapace appears to be raised after looking at some other images I did not upload. Here are a couple more of these shots, not perfect, but the shadows and reflections on the carapace in the head region indicate it is raised.
AndrewMcCutcheon
wrote:
1 Jun 2020
Hi Kerri-Lee, after looking at Paul's sighting of A. Sutherlandi I can see that the male is of a much lighter build than the female I have here. Unfortunately I don't have good enough images to examine the spinnerets. Back in November 2012 I saw several large funnel-webs (both sexes) at Dead Horse Gap near Thredbo Village, which look similar to the Black Range funnel-web, but with a cephalothorax that is equal in length and width. I suspect they may be Hadronyche alpine. I could upload the Dead Horse Gap funnel -webs, but not sure if Thredbo is within the area covered by ALCW.
Not being an expert on spiders I am more than happy to go with your identification of our Black Range funnel-web.
Location information
- Coordinates 149.844853-36.734891
- Places Black Range, NSW
Sighting information
- At least 1 Abundance
- 18 Jul 2018 12:17 PM Recorded on
- AndrewMcCutcheon Recorded by
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Collections
AndrewMcCutcheon South Coast NatureMapr Atrax sp. (genus) Trapdoor, Funnelweb or Mouse spiders (Mygalomorphae) Spiders
Species information
- Atrax sp. (genus) Scientific name
- Funnel-web spider Common name
- Not Sensitive
- Local native
- Non-invasive or negligible
- Up to 1286.86m Recorded at altitude
- External link More information