Iconically Australian, funnel-web spiders typically appear in lists of the continent's most dangerous and deadly native inhabitants.
Key points:
PhD candidate Linda Hernández Duran, from James Cook University, said the "misunderstood" arachnids were far from naturally aggressive.
She tested the movement and reactions of four species of funnel-web and found wide variations in behavioural responses under different scenarios, such as when placed with other spiders or provoked by a possible predator.
None of the species tested – the Border Ranges, Darling Downs, Southern tree-dwelling and Sydney funnel-webs – were consistently aggressive against potential predators, the study published in the journal Current Zoology found.
https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/101833154
Key points:
- A researcher has identified variability in funnel-web spider behaviour in response to stimuli
- Most studies on funnel-webs have focused on their venom, not behaviour
- Scientists say there are likely far more than the 35 identified species of funnel-web in Australia
PhD candidate Linda Hernández Duran, from James Cook University, said the "misunderstood" arachnids were far from naturally aggressive.
She tested the movement and reactions of four species of funnel-web and found wide variations in behavioural responses under different scenarios, such as when placed with other spiders or provoked by a possible predator.
None of the species tested – the Border Ranges, Darling Downs, Southern tree-dwelling and Sydney funnel-webs – were consistently aggressive against potential predators, the study published in the journal Current Zoology found.
https://amp-abc-net-au.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.abc.net.au/article/101833154