Atracidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders, commonly known as Australian funnel-web spiders or atracids. It has been included as a subfamily of the Hexathelidae, but is now recognised as a separate family. All members of the family are native to Australia. Atracidae consists of three genera: Atrax, Hadronyche, and Illawarra, comprising 35 species. Some members of the family produce venom that is dangerous to humans, and bites by spiders of six of the species have caused severe injuries to victims. The bites of the Sydney funnel-web spider and northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider are potentially deadly, but no fatalities have occurred since the introduction of modern first-aid techniques and antivenom.
Funnel-web spider refers to many different species of spider, particularly those that spin a web in the shape of a funnel:
Hadronyche formidabilis, the northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider, is a medically significant mygalomorph spider found in Queensland and New South Wales. It is also known as the Northern Rivers funnel-web spider or northern funnel-web spider.
The Sydney funnel-web spider is a species of venomous mygalomorph spider native to eastern Australia, usually found within a 100 km (62 mi) radius of Sydney. It is a member of a group of spiders known as Australian funnel-web spiders. Its bite is capable of causing serious illness or death in humans if left untreated.
Atrax is a genus of venomous Australian funnel web spiders that was first described by O. Pickard-Cambridge in 1877 from the type species Atrax robustus. As of December 2024 it contained only five species. Originally placed with the curtain web spiders, it was moved to the Hexathelidae in 1980, then to the Australian funnel-web spiders in 2018.
Delta atracotoxin is a low-molecular-weight neurotoxic polypeptide found in the venom of the Sydney funnel-web spider.
A. robustus may refer to:
Hadronyche infensa, the Darling Downs funnel-web spider, is a venomous mygalomorph spider, one of a number of Australian funnel-web spiders found in Queensland and New South Wales.
Hadronyche cerberea, the southern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider, is an extremely venomous mygalomorph spider found in central New South Wales, Australia.
Hadronyche versuta, the Blue Mountains funnel-web spider, is a medically significant mygalomorph spider found in central New South Wales.
Hadronyche modesta, the Victorian funnel-web spider, is a species of spider found in Victoria, Australia.
Atrax sutherlandi is a species of Australian funnel-web spider found in forests on the far southern coast of New South Wales and in eastern Victoria. It was named after Struan Sutherland, whose work resulted in a successful funnel-web spider antivenom.
Atrax yorkmainorum is a venomous species of Australian funnel-web spider belonging to the Atracidae family and is found in forests in the vicinity of Canberra and south-eastern New South Wales. The genus Atrax was first documented in 1877 and the Atrax yorkmainorum species was first described in 2010.
Hadronyche macquariensis, the Port Macquarie funnel-web spider, is a venomous mygalomorph spider, one of a number of species of Australian funnel-web spiders] found in New South Wales.
Illawarra is a monotypic genus of Australian funnel-web spiders containing the single species Illawarra wisharti. It was first described by Michael R. Gray in 2010, and has only been found in the Illawarra region of southern New South Wales. The generic name comes from the Illawarra region where the spider was found. The species name wisharti honours Graeme Wishart, who collected many mygalomorph spiders in that region.
Delta hexatoxin Hv1 is a neurotoxic component found in the venom of the Australian funnel web spider.
Michael Robert Blair Gray was an arachnologist who specialised in the taxonomy of spiders at the Australian Museum in Sydney with a particular interest in the systematics of Australian funnel-web spiders (Atracidae).
The Newcastle funnel-web spider is a species of venomous mygalomorph funnel-web spider of the family Atracidae, native to an area north of Newcastle in Australia. Large male specimens have led to the nickname Newcastle big boys.
