Venomous funnel-web tarantulas
Male Sydney funnel-web spider
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Arachnida Order: Araneae Suborder: Mygalomorphae Family: Hexathelidae
Genera
Atrax Hadronyche Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Phyla Porifera (sponges) Ctenophora (comb jellies) Cnidaria Placozoa Bilateria  Acoelomorpha  Orthonectida  Rhombozoa  Myxozoa  Superphylum Deuterostomia     Chordata (vertebrates, etc. ... Subphyla and Classes Subphylum Trilobitomorpha Trilobita - Trilobites (extinct) Subphylum Chelicerata Arachnida - Spiders, Scorpions, etc. ... Orders Acarina Amblypygi Araneae Opiliones Palpigradi Pseudoscorpionida Ricinulei Schizomida Scorpiones Solifugae Uropygi The arachnids, Arachnida, are a class of invertebrate animals in the subphylum Chelicerata. ... For other uses, see Spider (disambiguation). ... Families Antrodiaetidae (folding trapdoor spider) Atypidae (atypical tarantula) Ctenizidae (trapdoor spider) Cyrtaucheniidae (wafer trapdoor spider) Dipluridae (funnel-web tarantula) Hexathelidae (venomous funnel-web tarantula) Mecicobothriidae (dwarf tarantulas) Theraphosidae (tarantula) The Mygalomorphae, (previously called the Orthognatha), are a suborder of spiders. ...

The venomous funnel-web tarantulas (family Hexathelidae) are notorious for the inclusion of the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus). This is probably one of the three most dangerous spiders on our planet. It has a powerful neurotoxin that, for some reason not easily apparent, is more toxic in the male. Unfortunately, males are aggressive and tend to wander in search of females. They are often found in swimming pools where they have fallen while so engaged. They also show up in garages and yards in suburban Sydney. Until the antivenom was produced in 1980, the bite of a male Sydney funnel-web spider was usually fatal. Even the bite of a female or juvenile can be serious. Binomial name Atrax robustus (Pickard-Cambridge, 1877) The Sydney funnel-web spider, also called a funnel-web tarantula, (Atrax robustus) is a strong candidate for the most dangerous spider in the whole world. ... A neurotoxin is a toxin that acts specifically on nerve cells, or neurons, usually by interacting with membrane proteins and ion channels. ... Sydney Harbour looking south from the vicinity of the Sydney Harbour Bridge towards the CBD skyline; the Opera House is visible in the background on the left. ... Antivenom (or antivenin, or antivenene) is a biological product used in the treatment of venomous bites. ...

Like the related diplurid spiders, the hexathelids have generally long spinnerets. Members of the genus Hadronyche can also produce a nasty bite. Most hexathelids are found in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. One species is known for the Mediterranean region and two from South America. Genera See text Funnel-web tarantulas (family Dipluridae) resemble other mygalomorphs in having downward stabbing fangs and two pairs of booklungs. ... A satellite composite image of Asia Asia is the central and eastern part of the continent of Eurasia, defined by subtracting the European peninsula from Eurasia. ...

Additional Images

Victorian Funnelweb Spider	Atrax robustus
Also called the Sydney Funnelweb Spider	This one appears to be a female.

Download high resolution version (1600x1391, 438 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1600x1391, 438 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...

References

• Main, Barbara York. 1976. Spiders. Collins, Sydney, Australia.
• McKeown, Keith C. 1952. Australian Spiders. Angus and Robertson, Sydney, Australia.

External links

• Arachnology Home Pages: Araneae
• Platnick, N.I. 2003. World Spider Catalog