Trapdoor Spider

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Trapdoor Spider - Alan Henderson (Minibeast Wildlife)

Stanwellia sp.

A large spider. Females are light to dark brown, up to 35 mm in length and males are up to 25 mm in length. The abdomen is often paler than the rest of the spider and has a dark, mottled pattern. Males may have golden hairs on their head.

Details
Type
Invertebrate
Group
Animals
Arachnid - Spider
Biology

Feeds at night, catching its prey by waiting for an insect to 'trip' the silken threads outside the burrow. It then rushes out to grab its prey. Despite its common name, the entrance of this spider's burrow does not have a 'trap-door'. Trap-door spiders can live up to 20 years.
Distinctive Markings

A large spider with a dark, mottled rib-like pattern on the upper surface of its abdomen.
Taxonomy
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Arachnida
Order
Araneae
Family
Nemesiidae
Genus
Stanwellia
Species
sp.
Found across southern Victoria.

Source: Atlas of Living Australia

Trapdoor spiders are grouped with the ‰Û÷primitive spiders‰Ûª or mygalomorphs, all of which have parallel downward pointing fangs, so in order to bite they need to rear back to bring their fangs down in a striking action. It is not just the Sydney Funnel-web that rears back to strike.

Interesting Facts
Diet

Carnivore. Eats insects.
Habitat

A ground-dwelling spider that digs silk-lined burrows up to 40 cm deep in soft earth.
Native Status
Native to Australia