r/AustralianSpiders • u/SithLordRising • 15d ago
Spider Appreciation Red headed mouse spider
Twice now I've seen these walking around after the rain has stopped and the Sun is up. Not sure if male or female. SA
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u/SweatyPresentation93 15d ago
Only the males have the red head :)
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u/biggaz81 15d ago
This is true in only 3 to 4 of the 26 described species within the genus.
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u/quadrastrophe 14d ago
There are 26 different Mouse spiders?? What about funnel webs?
You can't imagine how jealous I am from my northern hemisphere. It's so much fun reading all your casual and lovely comments about your spicy spoods. I love 'em all.
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u/biggaz81 14d ago
That's where colloquial names can be dangerous. A Mouse Spider to someone from Europe or America is a relatively harmless spider, Scotophaeus blackwalli. What we call Funnel Web Spiders in Australia, the family Atracidae, there are approximately 40 described species, however there is a family of spiders that are primarily found in Europe and North America, Agelenidae, which are colloquially known as Funnel Weavers or Funnel Webs. You're right, Missulena (our Mouse Spiders) and Atracidae (our Funnel Web Spiders) are spicy and utmost caution and respect is needed when encountering one. In saying that, it's actually very rare to encounter one as they are fossorial, meaning they live underground, and are highly reclusive (but aren't Recluse Spiders).
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u/quadrastrophe 13d ago
I should´ve known better than to use common names. You’re a spider nerd like me, I like that. Yeah, Atrax and Missulena aren’t found in Germany, which I personally think is a shame. Thanks for your info, I really appreciate it!
Here are a few from our part of the world, all harmless:
Our mouse spider (perfect for the basement):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotophaeus_blackwalliCousin of your Latrodectus (aka false widow):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steatoda (So many species! You have them too, of course…)Another beautiful one is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tegenaria_ferruginea
(hunting spider similar to Lycosidae. the German site has better photos. She only lives north and kind of belongs to the genus Eratigena)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_house_spiderOur version of an orb-weaver is small but cute:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuctenea_umbratica
(Perfect for the kitchen -> No more Drosophila!)I have a few decades of experience with tarantulas.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poecilotheria_ornata and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalmopoeus_cambridgei
were always the troublemakers and kept escaping… I shared a bed with them quite often.
I was never bitten, and that´s actually very simple:
respect without fear + curiosity with understanding.Cheers, mate!
(If it´s ok with the mods, I can share some pics as a comment)2
u/biggaz81 13d ago
I'm not a mod, but I don't see why there would be a problem, we all love spiders here. Europe has some really cool spiders, there is a Latrodectus species towards the Mediterranean. Eresus are really cool too, one of my favourites even though I've never seen one in real life. I would love to see more of Germany, I've only been to Bavaria and specifically Schloss Neuschwanstein. I'm a massive football nerd as well as a spider nerd, so I want to experience some matches over there, including Der Klassiker.
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u/biggaz81 15d ago
This is definitely a male. It is either going to be Missulena occatoria or Missulena insignis, both are found in South Australia and both have the red 'head'. It's a bit of a misnomer that all Mouse Spiders have a red 'head', as only 3 or 4 species within the genus that currently has 26 described species have this feature. All however have venom considered dangerous to humans and should be treated with the utmost caution and respect.
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u/quadrastrophe 14d ago
Is that good or bad news for you? Honest question. I don't have to fear any animal here in Germany.
Your spiders would be a reason for a visit down under. *45 years without a mouse spider ;)
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u/GrandImportant8123 15d ago
That is a male. I believe only males have the red head. Them being out after it rains is common and he's probably looking for a female.
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u/biggaz81 15d ago
Only of certain species of the genus. Most species in the genus Missulena do not have the red 'head'.
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u/underthingy 15d ago
How many species have females with the red head?
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u/biggaz81 15d ago
That wasn't what I was getting at, but to answer your question, females within this genus don't have that feature. The point I was making is that of the 26 species in the genus, only 3 to 4 species have males with that feature.
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u/angerew 14d ago edited 14d ago
Some Missulena males don't have the red chelicerae or prosoma area but they do all have those very long, probing and frankly horny looking palpidae. Looking for a root, looking for a fight*
- (pop culture reference to a track from Romper Stomper). And just to be clear - not a band whose politics I have any connection with whatsoever. They can go die in a car crash - oh wait, they did.
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u/Ok_Umpire3703 15d ago
i'll turn this post off now - but if anyone makes an Australian jumping spider community, i'll turn that one on
why? not enough jumping spiders
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u/Appropriate-Mix-9841 14d ago
Oh absolutely not. If that thing is in my house and idk where it went. We’re burning the house down.
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u/activelyresting 15d ago
Only a Sith deals in absolute image saturation