Barking spider
Encyclopedia
Queensland Whistling Tarantula
Selenocosmia crassipes is native to the east coast of Queensland, Australia. Its name comes from its ability to produce a hissing noise when provoked, a trait it shares with other Australian Theraphosids
. This hissing is produced by the spider stridulating
a patch of seta
e associated with its chelicerae
. The species name crassipes is Latin for "fat leg" referring to the relatively fat front legs.
Selenocosmia crassipes can attain legspans of up to 22 cm (8.7 in). Its body length, from eyes to the rear of its abdomen, measures between 6 and 9 cm (2.4 and 3.5 in), making it the largest Australian tarantula.
This species is quite shy and normally does not wander far from its burrow
.
Young spiders find natural burrows under rocks or roots. Adults expand their burrows up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) lined with silk with a tunnel off the main tunnel going upwards to a chamber with an air pocket sufficient to last a few days. The name Barking spider is inappropriate as this spider does not bark. Another common name "bird eating spider" is also false as this spider does not normally eat birds.
The Queensland Whistling Tarantula
lives in rainforests and gullies or other sheltered cooler spots in open forests along the Queensland Central coast. Identification is relatively simple as this very large spider has thicker front legs than back legs. Females live up to thirty years, males up to eight years.
The bite from a Queensland Whistling Tarantula
is not fatal
to a human
, but can cause up to six hours of vomiting. The venom can cause death
to a dog
or cat
within thirty minutes.
Queensland Whistling Tarantula
is a fast growing spider and widely sought after as a pet. It is harvested from the wild, often illegally, a threat to its natural population. The current generic name Selenocosmia has been wrongly applied to the Australian species and will be revised, the generic name Phlogius being reinstated.
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
Selenocosmia crassipes is native to the east coast of Queensland, Australia. Its name comes from its ability to produce a hissing noise when provoked, a trait it shares with other Australian Theraphosids
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
. This hissing is produced by the spider stridulating
Stridulation
Stridulation is the act of producing sound by rubbing together certain body parts. This behavior is mostly associated with insects, but other animals are known to do this as well, such as a number of species of fishes, snakes and spiders...
a patch of seta
Seta
Seta is a biological term derived from the Latin word for "bristle". It refers to a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms.-Animal setae:In zoology, most "setae" occur in invertebrates....
e associated with its chelicerae
Chelicerae
The chelicerae are mouthparts of the Chelicerata, an arthropod subphylum that includes arachnids, Merostomata , and Pycnogonida . Chelicerae are pointed appendages which are used to grasp food, and are found in place of the chewing mandibles most other arthropods have...
. The species name crassipes is Latin for "fat leg" referring to the relatively fat front legs.
Selenocosmia crassipes can attain legspans of up to 22 cm (8.7 in). Its body length, from eyes to the rear of its abdomen, measures between 6 and 9 cm (2.4 and 3.5 in), making it the largest Australian tarantula.
This species is quite shy and normally does not wander far from its burrow
Burrow
A burrow is a hole or tunnel dug into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of shelter against predation and exposure to the elements, so the burrowing way of life is quite popular among the...
.
Young spiders find natural burrows under rocks or roots. Adults expand their burrows up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) lined with silk with a tunnel off the main tunnel going upwards to a chamber with an air pocket sufficient to last a few days. The name Barking spider is inappropriate as this spider does not bark. Another common name "bird eating spider" is also false as this spider does not normally eat birds.
The Queensland Whistling Tarantula
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
lives in rainforests and gullies or other sheltered cooler spots in open forests along the Queensland Central coast. Identification is relatively simple as this very large spider has thicker front legs than back legs. Females live up to thirty years, males up to eight years.
The bite from a Queensland Whistling Tarantula
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
is not fatal
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
to a human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
, but can cause up to six hours of vomiting. The venom can cause death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
to a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
or cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
within thirty minutes.
Queensland Whistling Tarantula
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
is a fast growing spider and widely sought after as a pet. It is harvested from the wild, often illegally, a threat to its natural population. The current generic name Selenocosmia has been wrongly applied to the Australian species and will be revised, the generic name Phlogius being reinstated.
External links
- Norman I. PlatnickNorman I. PlatnickNorman I. Platnick is an American arachnologist, and the Peter J. Solomon Family Curator of the invertebrate zoology department of the American Museum of Natural History. A 1973 Ph.D...
(2011): The world spider catalog, version 12.0. American Museum of Natural History. - Steve Nunn's Australian Tarantulas
- Queensland Museum