Australian venomous funnel-web spider
| Australian funnel-web spider | |
|---|---|
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| A Victorian funnel-web spider (Hadronyche modesta) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Hexathelidae |
| Subfamily: |
Atracinae Hogg, 1901 |
| Genera | |
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Atracinae, commonly known as Australian funnel-web spiders, is a subfamily of spiders in the funnel-web spider family Hexathelidae. Studies have repeatedly cast doubt on the taxonomic status of the group, often finding them associated with the family Actinopodidae. All members of the subfamily are native to Australia. Atracinae consists of three genera: Atrax, Hadronyche, and Illawarra, comprising 35 species. A number of the species produce venom which is dangerous to humans and bites by spiders of six of the species have caused severe injuries to victims. The bite of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) is potentially deadly, but no fatalities have occurred since the introduction of modern first-aid techniques and antivenom.
These spiders are medium to large in size, with body lengths ranging from 1 to 5 cm (0.4 to 2.0 in). They have a hairless carapace covering the front part of the body. Like the related diplurid spiders, some hexathelids have relatively long spinnerets; this is especially true of A. robustus. Males have a large mating spur projecting from the middle of their second pair of legs. Like other Mygalomorphae (also incorrectly called "Orthognatha") —an infraorder of spiders that includes the tropical tarantulas —these spiders have fangs which point straight down the body and do not point towards each other (cf Araneomorphae). They have ample venom glands that lie entirely within their chelicerae. Their fangs are large and powerful, capable of penetrating fingernails and soft shoes.
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