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Warning: Arachnophobes Look Away!


Dxenion
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Our backyard has quite a few silk lined burrows (no trap door) and I found this 22mm long spider and a smaller 14mm long spider in the one burrow.

Do not open the spoiler if you do not want to see a photo of a spider - you have been warned!

post-37151-0-36757500-1347951682_thumb.jpg

What is it and is it dangerous to dogs?

Edited to add we're on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.

Edited by Dxenion
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If I'm correct, and it is a Mouse Spider, it could make you or your dogs nauseas and cause some localized pain & swelling. They have big 'fangs' and would hurt quite a lot I should think.

Persephone may know exactly what it is.....

Edited to say.... looks more like a Funnel Web on closer inspection...

Similar results from a bite I'd imagine.

Google "Hadronyche modesta"... I'm 100% sure that's him.

Edited by jerojath
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If it's a Victorian Funnelweb it's an unusual colour and far away from its known range, which is around the Dandenong Ranges... Maybe a Melbourne Trapdoor Spider? That seems to match the description and drawing here: http://museumvictoria.com.au/spiders/detail.aspx?pid=9&pic=1

If it's one of those, then the bite can be deep and painful, but not particularly poisonous.

Edited for correct use of apostrophes :)

Edited by LappieHappy
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Is this a better photo of the front?

post-37151-0-75982900-1347957382_thumb.jpeg

The things I do for my dog's safety!

:laugh: you're a trooper Dx!

Still doesn't show the chelicerae but it looks like a Mygalomorph - I've decided to go with Jerojath: Hadronyche modesta

http://biodiversitysnapshots.net.au/BDRS/public/speciesInfo.htm?spid=559&mode=fieldguide (click on the photo underneath the main pic)

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In that second photo it looks just like the ones I get here. They have burrows everywhere in the garden, some with trap doors and some without. I do a lot of gardening and I've never been bitten, even when gardening right near their burrows.

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Is this a better photo of the front?

post-37151-0-75982900-1347957382_thumb.jpeg

The things I do for my dog's safety!

:laugh:

From that photo does look more like Vic Funnel Web

Victorian Funnel-web

Yep it's an exact match isn't it???

There are a few "geographical ranges" maps online, but all are very out of date. These things are everywhere in Victoria. I am on the far South-West Coast and we get them here.

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I found a very strange spider in my yard one day and emailed the pics to the Museum of WA and one of the experts from the entomology department ID'd it and emailed me back....it might be worth doing something like that?

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Is this a better photo of the front?

post-37151-0-75982900-1347957382_thumb.jpeg

The things I do for my dog's safety!

:laugh: you're a trooper Dx!

Still doesn't show the chelicerae but it looks like a Mygalomorph - I've decided to go with Jerojath: Hadronyche modesta

http://biodiversitysnapshots.net.au/BDRS/public/speciesInfo.htm?spid=559&mode=fieldguide (click on the photo underneath the main pic)

I am learning so much about spiders that I wish I never knew. You've no idea how much 'fun' I had trying to capture this on my phone but hopefully this is the chelicerae:

post-37151-0-74794200-1347968959_thumb.jpeg

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I found a very strange spider in my yard one day and emailed the pics to the Museum of WA and one of the experts from the entomology department ID'd it and emailed me back....it might be worth doing something like that?

Good idea!

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post-37151-0-74794200-1347968959_thumb.jpeg

Um....where is that photo taken? Have you invited your new friend into your house :eek:

For the last photo it was modelling on a piece of paper on the kitchen bench. That was the only place with enough light where I could get down lower than the bench to try and photograph the chelicerae. It's now residing in a hole punctured gladwrap covered jar in the kitchen until we work out what it is. If more photos are required to help identify it, I'd rather use the one I already have than have to go outside and dig up another one.

Edited by Dxenion
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