Actinopodidae

Actinopodidae (Mouse spiders) is a family of mygalomorph orb weaver spiders found in mainland Australia and South America usually in open forest. Species are most common in Queensland, Australia.[1] It includes mouse spiders, whose bites, though rare, are considered medically significant and potentially dangerous.[2]

Actinopodidae
M. occatoria, male
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Clade: Avicularioidea
Family: Actinopodidae
Simon, 1892
Genera

3, see text

Diversity
3 genera, 69 species

Description

Actinopodidae has wider vision then most other Australian mygalomorphs and have a wide front to there carapace.[3] Mouse spiders are stout black with species size varying from 10 mm-35 mm in length. Species have distinctively bulbous heads and jaw regions. Mouse spiders are oftentimes confused with funnel-web spiders. Depending on the species, the abdomen is black or dark blue with a light grey to white patch top. Legs are dark and may appear thin and the head is shiny black. Female of the family are stockier and larger.[4]

Burrow

Mouse spiders live in soil covered burrows with a hinged top. Burrows can extent to a depth of 30 cm (12 inches). The purpose of the burrow is for refuge from predators, temperature control and parasites. Male spiders will wander away from the burrow in search for female spiders for mating while females stay in the burrow for most of their life.[5]

Diet

Species of Actinopodidae are ambush hunters that lie in their burrow lid at night preying on insects that are within catching range of actinopodidae.

Genera

As of April 2019, the World Spider Catalog accepts the following genera: [6]

See also

References
  1. Museum, c=AU; co=Queensland Government; ou=Queensland. "Mouse Spiders". www.qm.qld.gov.au. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  2. Isbister, Geoffrey K. (2004). "Mouse spider bites (Missulena spp.) and their medical importance". Med J Aust. 180 (5): 225–227. doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb05890.x. S2CID 37977034.
  3. "ACTINOPODIDAE Mouse Spiders". www.arachne.org.au. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  4. "Mouse Spiders". The Australian Museum. Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  5. "Mouse Spider - Facts, Venom & Habitat Information". Retrieved 2022-05-12.
  6. "Family: Actinopodidae Simon, 1892". World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2019-04-18.
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