Spiders - Primitive Spiders

These are the oldest of the spider types and generally possess a large, heavy set body with large fangs. They are venomous to varying degrees and include some of the most toxic species in Australia including the Sydney Funnel-web spider.

 
Whistling Spider or Northern Tarantula (also called the Bird-eating Spider)
(Selenocosmia crassipes)

This spider definitely falls into the category of "look but don't touch"! It lives in underground burrows up to 60cm (2 feet) long and these burrows can often be found in sloping areas not too far from water which attracts a richer diversity of large insects. These spiders make an audible hissing sound when disturbed - hence its most appropriate common name.

The diet of this formidable predator includes large crawling insects, small reptiles and frogs. Published accounts record a baby chicken being taken from its cage. Its alternative common name (Bird-eating spider) is a corrupted understanding of the early Euriopean common name, Bird Spider, which arose from the resemblance that the South American giant spiders have to newly hatched chicks. Despite its large body length of 55mm (2.2 inches), it is unable to eat solid food and uses its saliva to pre-digest the insides of its prey.

The Whistling Spider is from the family Theraphosidae and is a type of tarantula. Australian tarantulas are Old World tarantulas which are also found in Asia and Africa. Old World tarantulas are less passive than the New World tarantulas which can be found in South America, Central America and southern North America. The Whistling Spider is usually brown and black, without the colourful markings often seen in some larger tarantulas from South-east Asia and South America.