Delena cancerides

Delena cancerides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Family:	Sparassidae
Genus:	Delena
Species:	D. cancerides
Binomial name
Delena cancerides Walckenaer, 1837

Delena cancerides, the flat huntsman spider or social huntsman spider, is a large, brown huntsman spider native to Australia. It has been introduced to New Zealand, where it is sometimes known as the Avondale spider.^[1] This was the species used in the beginning of the movie Spider-Man and widely in Arachnophobia, but it is generally considered harmless to humans.^[2]

Behavior

The flat huntsman spider is a large spider native to Australia

Highly unusual among spiders, the flat huntsman spider is a social species, even sharing prey.^[1] They are often found under loose bark (their flat shape is an adaption for this) in colonies up to 300, but they are highly aggressive and commonly cannibalistic toward members from other colonies.^[3] They hunt their food rather than spin webs for it. They are timid towards humans and bites are infrequent, and when they occur, symptoms are usually very minor.^[4]

Distribution

The species is found all over Australia, including Tasmania, and is quite common in South Australia. It was accidentally found in 1924. Its range in New Zealand has expanded only slowly out of Avondale, a suburb of Auckland, hence the alternative New Zealand common name.^[1] Species have been found as far down the country as the Otago region.

Appearance and genetics

The body of the spider may be up to 4.5 centimetres (1.8 in) long,^[1] is light brown and covered in dense, fine hairs. The legs are also hairy, and can have a span up to 20 centimetres (7.9 in).^[2] Females are larger than males.

Various populations show major differences in the chromosomes, leading to the recognition of several "chromosomal subspecies", but these hybridize where in contact and there is little genetic divergence.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Rowell and Avilés (1995). Sociality in a bark-dwelling huntsman spider from Australia,Delena cancerides Walckenaer (Araneae: Sparassidae). Insectes Sociaux Volume 42(3): 287-302
2. ^ ^{a b} Avondale spider, our Hollywood star! Landcare Research – Manaaki Whenua. Accessed 22 January 2010.
3. ^ Beavis, Rowell and Evans (2007). Cannibalism and kin recognition in Delena cancerides (Araneae: Sparassidae), a social huntsman spider. Journal of Zoology 271(2) 233-237
4. ^ Victorian Huntsman Spiders. Museum Victoria. Accessed 22 January 2010.