Porrhothele antipodiana

Porrhothele antipodiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Suborder:	Mygalomorphae
Infraorder:	Tuberculotae
Family:	Hexathelidae
Genus:	Porrhothele
Species:	P. antipodiana
Binomial name
Porrhothele antipodiana (Walckenaer, 1837)
Synonyms
Mygale antipodiana Mygale quoyi Mygale antipodum Mygale hexops Hexops whitei Macrothele huttonii Macrothele insignipes Nemesia kirkii Arbanitis kirkii Porrhothele simoni Porrhothele avocae

Female P. antipodiana (post mortem)

The black tunnelweb spider, Porrhothele antipodiana, is a spider found throughout much of New Zealand and the Chatham Islands in bush and gardens.

Description

It is a considerably large species, measuring over 30 mm in body length, 50 mm including the long legs. Males are often found indoors during spring and summer when they leave their burrows to find mates. When found inside, they are typically near a source of moisture such as a bathroom or laundry because they desiccate easily. Often all that is found are shrivelled corpses.

Typically living under logs and rocks, they build a silken tunnel with a broad area at the entrance for the detection of prey (often beetles, but they have been recorded eating snails and mice).^[1]

Bites are painful and may cause localised swelling, itching, or numbness. Victims are advised to disinfect the area to reduce the risk of infection. The venom is not dangerous to humans.^[2]

In popular culture

This spider was described by director Peter Jackson as the inspiration for his depiction of Shelob in his The Lord of the Rings film adaptation.^[3]

Footnotes

1. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, NZ - Black tunnelweb spider (Porrhothele antipodiana)
2. New Zealand National Poisons Centre
3. Rob Suisted

References

• Platnick, Norman I. (2008): The world spider catalog, version 8.5. American Museum of Natural History.

External links

• Pictures of eggsac