Atrax sutherlandi

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Atrax sutherlandi
AustralianMuseum spider specimen 07.JPG
Male and female
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Atracidae
Genus: Atrax
Species:
A. sutherlandi
Binomial name
Atrax sutherlandi
Gray, 2010 [1]

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. [2]

Normally, A. sutherlandi has a glossy black back and chelicerae ("fangs"), as well as a deep-brown or plum-coloured underbelly. An adult grows to a length of 2 inches (5 cm). A report in 2015 described an unusual individual with a blood-red belly and chelicerae. [3] Unlike its close relative the Sydney funnel web that lives in urban areas, A. sutherlandi commonly resides in remote areas, thus posing little danger to the public. [4]

Due to the niche microhabitat of the Atrax sutherlandi, species divergence can easily occur when there is minor change in the environment. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mygalomorphae</span> Infraorder of arachnids (spiders)

The Mygalomorphae, or mygalomorphs, are an infraorder of spiders, and comprise one of three major groups of living spiders with over 3,000 species, found on all continents except Antarctica. Many members are known as trapdoor spiders due to their creation of trapdoors over their burrows. Other prominent groups include Australian funnel web spiders and tarantulas, with the latter accounting for around one third of all mygalomorphs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dipluridae</span> Family of spiders

The family Dipluridae, known as curtain-web spiders are a group of spiders in the infraorder Mygalomorphae, that have two pairs of booklungs, and chelicerae (fangs) that move up and down in a stabbing motion. A number of genera, including that of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax), used to be classified in this family but have now been moved to Atracidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian funnel-web spider</span> Family of mygalomorph spiders

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Araneomorphae</span> Infraorder of arachnids

The Araneomorphae are an infraorder of spiders. They are distinguishable by chelicerae (fangs) that point diagonally forward and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae, where they point straight down. Araneomorphs comprise the vast majority of living spiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theridiidae</span> Family of spiders

Theridiidae, also known as the tangle-web spiders, cobweb spiders and comb-footed spiders, is a large family of araneomorph spiders first described by Carl Jakob Sundevall in 1833. This diverse, globally distributed family includes over 3,000 species in 124 genera, and is the most common arthropod found in human dwellings throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hexathelidae</span> Family of spiders

Hexathelidae is a family of mygalomorph spiders. It is one of a number of families and genera of spiders known as tunnelweb or funnel-web spiders. In 2018, the family was substantially reduced in size by genera being moved to three separate families: Atracidae, Macrothelidae and Porrhothelidae.

<i>Hadronyche formidabilis</i> Species of spider

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney funnel-web spider</span> Large Australian venomous 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.

<i>Atrax</i> Genus of spiders

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 May 2019 it contains only three species: A. robustus, A. sutherlandi, and A. yorkmainorum. Originally placed with the curtain web spiders, it was moved to the Hexathelidae in 1980, then to the Australian funnel-web spiders in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delta atracotoxin</span> Polypeptide found in the venom of the Sydney funnel-web spider

Delta atracotoxin is a low-molecular-weight neurotoxic polypeptide found in the venom of the Sydney funnel-web spider.

<i>Missulena bradleyi</i> Species of spider from Australia known as the eastern mouse spider

Missulena bradleyi, also known as the eastern mouse spider, is a species of spider belonging to the family Actinopodidae. The spider is endemic to the eastern coast of Australia.

<i>Hadronyche infensa</i> Species of spider

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.

<i>Hadronyche cerberea</i> Species of spider

Hadronyche cerberea, the southern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider, is a venomous mygalomorph spider found in central New South Wales, Australia.

<i>Hadronyche versuta</i> Species of spider

Hadronyche versuta, the Blue Mountains funnel-web spider, is a venomous mygalomorph spider found in central New South Wales.

<i>Hadronyche modesta</i> Species of spider

Hadronyche modesta, the Victorian funnel-web spider, is a species of spider found in Victoria, Australia.

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. It is a member of the subfamily Atracinae, the Australian funnel-web spiders, a number of whose species produce venom that is dangerous to humans. 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.

Hadronyche pulvinator, also known as the Cascade funnel-web spider, is a species of funnel-web spider in the Atracidae family. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1927 by Australian arachnologist Vernon Victor Hickman.

References

  1. "Taxon details Atrax sutherlandi Gray, 2010", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 11 March 2016
  2. Gray, Michael R. (24 November 2010). "A revision of the Australian funnel-web spiders (Hexathelidae: Atracinae)" (PDF). Records of the Australian Museum. 62 (3): 285–392. doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.62.2010.1556. ISSN   0067-1975.
  3. "Mysterious Spider With Blood-Red Fangs Found in Australia". National Geographic. 3 September 2015. Archived from the original on 4 September 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  4. Beavis, Amber (December 2011). "Microhabitat preferences drive phylogeographic disparities in two Australian funnel web spiders". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 104 (4): 805–819. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01753.x via Web of Science.
  5. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society., 104(4), 805–819. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1095-8312.2011.01753.x