Australian tarantulas

IUCN

Scientific Name：Theraphosidae (e.g., Selenocosmia, Phlogius, Selenotholus, Selenotypus)

Basic Information

Scientific classification

name：Australian tarantulas
Scientific Name：Theraphosidae (e.g., Selenocosmia, Phlogius, Selenotholus, Selenotypus)
Outline：Arthropoda
Family：Theraphosidae Selenocosmia Phlogius

Vital signs

length：Body length 5–8 cm; legspan 16–22 cm
Weight：Large ground spiders; tens of grams in adults
lifetime：Females 10–20+ years; males 5–8 years

Feature

Burrowing, nocturnal; defensive stridulation; generalist predation; male wandering; female egg‑sac guarding.

Distribution and Habitat

Tropical savannas to arid woodlands/semi‑deserts of northern & inland Australia; stable, diggable soils.

Appearance

Dark brown to blackish; pale joint banding; dense abdominal setae; male tibial spurs.

Details

Australian tarantulas, locally known as whistling spiders, belong to the family Theraphosidae. Representative genera include Selenocosmia, Phlogius, Selenotholus, Selenotypus. They areground‑dwelling burrowers capable of producing a defensive stridulation (“whistle”) and are iconic in northern and inland Australia.

Ecology & Biology

Activity: mostly nocturnal; by day they remain in vertical/oblique soil burrows lined with silk and radial trip lines.
Diet: generalist predators feeding on insects, other spiders, and occasionally small lizards/frogs and arthropods.
Defence: threat posture with chelicerae displayed and a characteristic whistling stridulation; rapid biting if pressed.
Reproduction: adult males wander to find mates; females lay a silken egg sac and guard it in the burrow; juveniles disperse nearby.

Identification

Size: body length typically 5–8 cm; legspan up to 16–22 cm.
Colour: dark chocolate‑brown to blackish; pale banding on leg joints in some species; dense abdominal setae.
Mouthparts/legs: down‑striking fangs; males often with tibial apophyses (mating spurs).

Range & Habitat

Northern and inland Australia (Queensland, Northern Territory, northern Western Australia), from tropical savannas toarid woodlands and semi‑deserts; prefer diggable, stable soils along banks, pastures and embankments.

Conservation & People

Medical relevance: bites are very painful to humans but rarely life‑threatening; dogs may be at greater risk—seek veterinary care promptly.
Trade: present in the hobby; favour captive‑bred stock and follow local regulations to avoid wild collection pressure.

IUCN: this is a group‑level entry; many species lack individual assessments. Marked here as Not Evaluated (NE).

FAQ

Q1. Do Australian tarantulas kick urticating hairs? No—unlike many New World tarantulas, Australian taxa lack urticating hairs; defence relies on threat display/stridulation and bites.

Q2. Are bites deadly to humans? Typically not, but they are very painful with local swelling/sweating and nausea possible. Keep calm, immobilise and seek medical care.

Q3. Home prevention? Reduce yard debris/rock piles, seal cracks and door gaps, use screens; never dig out burrow entrances.

Q4. Can they be kept in captivity? Where legal, use captive‑bred animals and provide deep substrate for burrowing with appropriate temperature/humidity.