Damon Mcknight
Australia is home to a diverse range of spiders, with over 10,000 known species. Among these are the trapdoor spiders, which inhabit various regions across the country. These spiders are known for their unique behaviour of constructing burrows with hinged doors to ambush their prey. While they are generally timid and non-aggressive towards humans, their bites can cause minor pain and swelling if they feel threatened. In this article, we will explore the distribution and characteristics of trapdoor spiders in Australia, shedding light on their behaviour, habitat, and potential encounters with humans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common name | Trapdoor spiders |
| Scientific name | Euoplos dignitas |
| Group | Mygalomorphs |
| Colour | Brown, black, honey-red, red-brown, tan, orange, red |
| Size | Up to 7 cm long (including legs) |
| Habitat | Open woodland habitats, black soil embankments, eastern and southern Australia, Tasmania, Adelaide, Sydney |
| Diet | Beetles, cockroaches, crickets, other harmful spider species |
| Behaviour | Nocturnal, timid, non-aggressive, long-lived |
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What You'll Learn
Sydney brown trapdoor spiders
The Sydney brown trapdoor spider, often mistaken for the funnel-web spider, is a relatively small spider species, with males being more recognisable due to a small double mating spur halfway along the first pair of legs. They are often found in urban and bushland areas, from the George's River in southern Sydney to the Hunter River Valley in the north and just west of Parramatta in the west. Their bites are not dangerous to humans or pets, but they may be painful and cause some local swelling.
The female Sydney brown trapdoor spiders are larger than the males and can be identified by their golden-brown hair on the body and grey bars on their abdomen. They have four pairs of legs and two compact rows of eyes. Their fangs face downward, and while their bites are not toxic, they can cause minor pain and local swelling.
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Adelaide trapdoor spiders
Trapdoor spiders are a group of species that inhabit tropical and subtropical regions in Japan, North America, and the southwestern United States. In Australia, there are two common types of trapdoor spiders: the Brown trapdoor spider or Sydney trapdoor spider (M. rapax) from the Misgolas group, and the Adelaide trapdoor spider (A. subtristis) from the Aganippe group of spiders.
The Adelaide trapdoor spider is found across southern Australia, west of the Great Dividing Range. They are part of the Aganippe group of spiders, which are found in southern Australia, west of the Great Dividing Range. The Aganippe group of spiders is known for its spotted trapdoor spiders, which have a brown body with a cover of paler gold hairs on their carapace, giving them a "dusty appearance", and often have pale or grey bars across their abdomen.
Trapdoor spiders live in burrows in the ground that can be about 30-40cm deep and are often located near embankments. The entrance to their burrows is usually lined with silk-bound leaves and can be camouflaged with dry leaf litter, making them almost undetectable unless the door is open. These spiders are relatively small, although some may reach up to 4cm in size, with females being larger than males. The male trapdoor spiders are more recognisable due to the signature spur on their first pair of legs and the thick "boxing glove" palps.
Like other trapdoor spiders, the Adelaide trapdoor spider is generally harmless to humans and pets. They are timid and easily frightened, and will only bite if startled, which can cause minor pain and local swelling. They play an important role in controlling the population of beetles, cockroaches, crickets, and other harmful spider species.
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Spiny trapdoor spiders
Australia is home to a diverse range of trapdoor spiders, with over 10,000 known species of spiders in the country. The common name "trapdoor spider" covers several families, including the Idiopidae, Actinopodidae, Ctenizidae, Migidae, and Cyrtaucheniidae. While most trapdoor spiders are named for their trapdoor-like burrows, not all species construct these doors.
The Queensland Museum team's research in 2015 revealed interesting insights into the spiny trapdoor spiders of eastern Australia. They found that the Mount Tamborine trapdoor spider, previously thought to be widespread, was not present in Brisbane as initially believed. Instead, it is found in the mountain ranges bordering New South Wales, with Mount Tamborine being its northernmost location. The female spiny trapdoor spiders displayed remarkable variation in appearance depending on their location. For example, females from the Mount Tamborine rainforest were large and red-brown, while those from the lowlands of north Brisbane were smaller and tan. In the D'Aguilar Range, the females were even larger, with bright orange carapaces and red legs.
The spiny trapdoor spiders exhibit "sexual dimorphism", with noticeable differences in appearance between males and females. Males have long legs, which may aid in running faster and keeping vulnerable body parts safe when encountering females. Females, on the other hand, tend to remain near their burrows, while males wander in search of mates. The male spiny trapdoor spiders can be identified by the small double spur on their first leg and their thick "boxing glove" palps.
The discovery of these spiny trapdoor spiders highlights the richness of Australia's biodiversity and the ongoing exploration and conservation efforts to understand and protect these unique species.
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Mount Tamborine trapdoor spiders
Australia is home to a diverse range of spiders, with over 10,000 species, including the trapdoor spiders. Trapdoor spiders are generally harmless and are known for their reclusive behaviour. They play an important ecological role in controlling the populations of insects and other spiders.
Among the various trapdoor spiders in Australia, the Mount Tamborine trapdoor spider stands out for its recent taxonomic journey. For a long time, the identity of this spider was shrouded in mystery, with scientists trying to unravel the complexities of its existence.
The story of the Mount Tamborine trapdoor spider began in 1918 when a species, later named Euoplos variabilis, was first described based solely on female specimens. These females inhabited the rainforest of Mount Tamborine, just south of Brisbane, and exhibited a distinctive appearance with their large size and red-brown colouration. It wasn't until 1985 that a male spider, also from Mount Tamborine, was associated with these original females, marking the start of a taxonomic conundrum.
In 2015, researchers from the Queensland Museum embarked on a journey to study the spiny trapdoor spiders of eastern Australia. They discovered that the Mount Tamborine trapdoor spider was more widespread than previously thought, spanning from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast. However, this apparent uniformity among males belied a hidden diversity. Through DNA analysis and examination of physical traits, it was revealed that the females from different locations displayed striking variations in size and colour. The females from the lowlands of north Brisbane were small and tan, while their counterparts in the D'Aguilar Range, north of Brisbane, boasted a bright orange carapace and red legs.
The Mount Tamborine trapdoor spider, once believed to be a single species, was actually found to comprise multiple distinct species. The original Mount Tamborine trapdoor spider, Euoplos variabilis, now shares its taxonomic space with newly described species such as Euoplos raveni, Euoplos schmidti, Euoplos regalis, and Euoplos jayneae, each adapted to different habitats and elevations. This discovery highlights the intricate complexity of Australia's trapdoor spider fauna and underscores the importance of continued research and conservation efforts to protect these arachnids.
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Euoplos dignitas
Australia is home to a diverse range of trapdoor spiders, with over 10,000 known species of spiders in the country. In 2023, researchers from the Queensland Museum discovered a new species of trapdoor spider, naming it Euoplos dignitas. This name is derived from the Latin word 'dignitas', reflecting the spider's impressive size and nature.
The spider is described as tropical and subtropical, and is not considered dangerous to humans. It feeds by opening its trapdoor and snatching passing insects. While trapdoor spiders are generally timid and easily frightened, they may bite if startled, which can cause minor pain and local swelling. However, there are no known incidents of E. dignitas biting humans.
Much of the E. dignitas' habitat has been cleared and divided for agricultural use, resulting in a significant loss of their habitat. Due to this, the species is likely to be named endangered, but further studies are needed to determine its precise conservation status.
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Frequently asked questions
Trapdoor spiders are found in eastern and southern Australia, including Tasmania. They are also found in Queensland, specifically in the semi-arid woodlands of the Brigalow Belt, a region in central Queensland. They are typically found in open woodland habitats, building their burrows in black soil.
Trapdoor spiders are typically brown or black and hairy, with a stocky build. They have four pairs of legs and two compact rows of eyes. The male ones are more recognizable, with a signature spur on their first pair of legs and the tick "boxing glove" palps.
Trapdoor spiders typically measure about 1.5 cm, with males reaching up to 3 cm and females growing up to 5 cm long. However, some trapdoor spiders can be larger, with one species found in eastern Australia reaching up to 7 cm long, including legs.
Trapdoor spiders typically have a lifespan of 5 to 20 years, with females living significantly longer than males.
Trapdoor spiders are generally not dangerous to humans or pets. They are timid and easily frightened. While they may bite if startled, their bites are not toxic and typically cause only minor pain and local swelling.
