Mouse Spider
Missulena `MYG045`
Mygalomorph spiders are more commonly known as trapdoor spiders, tarantulas and funnel web spiders. They are heavy set spiders, with downward facing fangs that they use to envenomate their prey. While they spin silk to line their burrows, they do not build elaborate capture webs like other groups of spiders. They are sensitive to desiccation and so many species live underground in burrows, or in wetter parts of the continent.
Australia’s most famous mygalomorph, the Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) is not found in Western Australia, and many of WA’s less dangerous mygalomorphs are mistaken for this dangerous species.
The mouse spiders (Actinopidae) are closely related to the Sydney funnel-webs (one part of the paraphyletic Hexathelidae) according to recent phylogenetic studies. They do share some venomous qualities, and mouse spiders are considered dangerous, especially for children. Interactions between humans and adult males occur when males are wandering looking for mating opportunities.
Morphology
Most mygalomorph spiders are distinguished from each other by the shape and size of the palps, the sexual organs male use to inseminate females during mating.
Females are rarely distinguishable from each other, but can often be assigned to a genus.
Evolution
There are currently 18 described species of Missulena, most of which are endemic to Australia. It is likely that there are many undescribed species in the genus, with DNA barcoding data suggesting the presence of 13 putative species in Western Australia, including eight undescribed species.
Behaviour
Very little is known about the behaviour of Missulena.
Females reside in a single burrow for their entire life after hatching and leaving their natal burrow. In this burrow they store food, lay eggs and mate.
Males similarly reside in a single burrow for their entire lives but upon becoming sexually mature, they disperse from their home and seek out adult females in their burrows. Males do not return home but eventually die after mating or while seeking mates.
It is believed that individuals reside in a single burrow and if that burrow is disturbed or damaged, that they cannot rebuild a new burrow.
Method of reproduction
Sexual
Habitat
Terrestrial
Lives in burrow in compacted soils.
Distribution
Karijini National Park.
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Suborder: | Opisthothelae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Actinopodidae |
| Genus: | Missulena |
| Species: | `MYG045` |
| Rank: | species |
|---|---|
| Commercial Impact: | None |
| Conservation Assessment: | Least Concern |
Cite this page
Western Australian Museum Collections https://museum.wa.gov.au/online-collections/names/missulena-myg045
Accessed 30 Apr 2025
Rights
We support the open release of data and information about our collections.
Text content on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Image content on this page is copyright WA Museum.