Hadronyche formidabilis

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Hadronyche formidabilis
AustralianMuseum spider specimen 19.JPG
male specimen on display in the Australian Museum
AustralianMuseum spider specimen 20.JPG
female specimen on display in the Australian Museum
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: Hadronyche
Species:
H. formidabilis
Binomial name
Hadronyche formidabilis
(Rainbow, 1914)
Synonyms

Atrax formidabilisRainbow

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. [1]

Contents

Taxonomy

A member of the genus Hadronyche , the northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider was first described in 1914, by William Joseph Rainbow in the genus Atrax , having been collected from the vicinity of the Richmond River. Rainbow suspected it may have needed to be placed in a genus separate to Atrax at the time, but demurred due to the lack of male specimens. [2] The species name is derived from the Latin formidabilis "terrifying". [3] Within the genus Hadronyche, it is classified in the heterogeneous cerberea group, alongside the southern tree-dwelling funnel-web ( H. cerberea ), the Blue Mountains funnel-web ( H. versuta ) and 12 other species from southern New South Wales and Victoria. [4]

Description

The northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider has a glossy black carapace, and matte black or dark brown chelicerae, legs and abdomen. The dorsolateral surface of the abdomen may have a plum- or purplish tinge. The carapace of both sexes is longer and thinner than other members of the genus Hadronyche. [4] With a body length of 40-50 millimetres, it is the largest member of the funnel-web subfamily Atracinae. [5] The species is very similar to the ground-dwelling Darling Downs funnel-web spider ( Hadronyche infensa ); the male northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider distinguished by its knobby spur on the tibia of the second pair of legs, which the male Darling Downs funnel-web spider lacks. [6] Trapdoor spiders are more brown overall in colour. [6]

Male and female northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spiders rear up and display their fangs when confronted, drops of venom appearing on the ends of their fangs. They are unable to jump. [6] The venom of the species is potentially deadly to humans, and regarded as the most toxic of those in the family Atracidae. [7] A high proportion of bites—five out of eight recorded cases—from the northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider result in severe symptoms of envenomation. The venom can be successfully treated with the antivenom for the related Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus). [8]

Symptoms of envenomation can occur within 15 to 20 minutes. Applying pressure bandages and immobilising the patient can significantly delay the onset of symptoms and remains a critical part of the management of an Australian funnel-web spider bite. Despite the venom lacking the δ-atracotoxin or atraxin of A. robustus, the symptoms are very similar to those from a Sydney funnel-web spider bite. Common symptoms include diaphoresis, hypertension, sinus tachycardia, muscle spasm or fasciculation, nausea and vomiting, altered consciousness and local pain at the bite site. Pulmonary oedema occurs frequently and comes on early. As these spiders are larger than the Sydney funnel-web spider, it may be that they inject greater amounts of venom, making the northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider possibly the deadliest venomous spider species in the world per volume. [9]

Distribution and habitat

The northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider is found in eastern Australia from South East Queensland to the Hunter River in New South Wales. This and the southern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider ( Hadronyche cerberea ) are the only two species of Australian funnel-web spiders that live predominantly in trees. It lives in rotting logs, branches and hollow furrows and pipes of trees, particularly tallowwood ( Eucalyptus microcorys ), as well as in epiphytes. [4] They have been recorded in trees 30 m (100 ft) above the ground. [5] Roving males are encountered after rain and at night between late October and early February. They seek shelter during the day. [6]

Ecology

The arboreal habitat suggests that wood-boring beetles are a main prey item of the northern tree-dwelling funnel-web spider. [4]


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

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<i>Hadronyche</i> Genus of spiders

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<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 an extremely 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.

<i>Atrax sutherlandi</i> Species of spider

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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 valida, also known as the true funnel-web spider, is a species of funnel-web spider in the Atracidae family. It is endemic to Australia. It was described in 1918 by Australian arachnologists William Joseph Rainbow and Robert Henry Pulleine. The specific epithet valida means ‘true’ or ‘valid’.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael R. Gray</span> Australian arachnologist (1941- 2023)

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References

  1. ↑ "Hadronyche formidabilis (Rainbow)". Entomology. CSIRO. September 2004. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
  2. ↑ Rainbow, William Joseph (1914). "Studies in Australian Araneidae. No. 6. The Terretelariae". Records of the Australian Museum. 10: 187–270 [255–58]. doi: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.10.1914.901 .
  3. ↑ Brunet, Bert (1997). Spiderwatch: A Guide to Australian Spiders. Reed. p. 89. ISBN   0-7301-0486-9.
  4. 1 2 3 4 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 November 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2013.
  5. 1 2 Australian Museum (6 May 2013). "Funnel-web Spiders". Nature Culture Discover. Sydney, New South Wales: Australian Museum. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Atkinson, Ron (30 January 2002). "Tree-dwelling funnel-web". Find-a-Spider Guide for the Spiders of Southern Queensland. University of Southern Queensland. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  7. ↑ Atkinson, Ron (30 January 2002). "Tree-dwelling funnel-web". Find-a spider. University of Southern Queensland. Archived from the original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
  8. ↑ Isbister G, Gray M, Balit C, Raven R, Stokes B, Porges K, Tankel A, Turner E, White J, Fisher M (2005). "Funnel-web spider bite: a systematic review of recorded clinical cases". Med J Aust. 182 (#8): 407–11. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb06760.x. hdl: 2440/17349 . PMID   15850438.
  9. ↑ Miller MK, Whyte IM, White J, Keir PM (2000). "Clinical features and management of Hadronyche envenomation in man". Toxicon. 38 (3): 409–27. doi:10.1016/S0041-0101(99)00171-3. PMID   10669029.

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