Queensland whistling tarantula

Description

Selenocosmia crassipes, synonym Phlogius crassipes, also known as the "Queensland whistling tarantula" (or "barking spider") is a species of tarantula native to the east coast of Queensland, Australia. The name "whistling tarantula" comes from its ability to produce a hissing noise when provoked, a trait it shares with other Australian theraphosids. This hissing is produced by the spider stridulating a patch of setae associated with its chelicerae. It has also been called the "eastern tarantula". The species name crassipes is Latin for "fat leg" referring to the relatively fat front legs. Selenocosmia crassipes can attain legspans of up to 22 cm (8.7 in). Its body length, from eyes to the rear of its abdomen, measures between 6 and 9 cm (2.4 and 3.5 in), making it the largest Australian tarantula. The thick footed tarantula has powerful long venomous fangs that can grow up to 1 centimetre (0.39 in) long. Its body is 6 centimetres (2.4 in) with a leg span of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) or larger than the size of a man's hand. Identification is relatively simple as this very large spider has thicker front legs than back legs. It is recognized as the largest spider in Australia. Due to the hissing sound the spider makes when approached, it has acquired the nickname "barking spider", sometimes “hissing spider”. This species is quite shy and normally does not wander far from its burrow. Females live up to thirty years, males up to eight years. The bite from an Eastern tarantula is not fatal to a human, but can cause up to six hours of vomiting. The venom can cause death to a dog or cat within thirty minutes. In May 2010 a scientist living near Cooktown, Queensland, was bitten on her right index finger and experienced symptoms never reported before in research literature. Selenocosmia crassipes is found throughout North Queensland and is a burrowing arachnid, living underground in burrows, which can be up to 1 metre (3.3 ft) deep, but might be forced into the open during periods of heavy rain. Young spiders find natural burrows under rocks or roots. Adults expand their burrows up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) lined with silk with a tunnel off the main tunnel going upwards to a chamber with an air pocket sufficient to last a few days. It lives in rainforests and gullies or other sheltered cooler spots in open forests along the Queensland Central coast. It is also found in and around gardens or other plant life.