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The Sydney Funnel Web spider

Nathalie Wojtowicz. Atrax Robustus. The Sydney Funnel Web spider. Presentation. Description of the sydney funnel web spider Is it very dangerous ?. Sydney funnel web spider. Venomous spider :. Phylus. Arthropoda. Class. Arachnida. Order. Araneae. Suborder. Opisthothelea. Genus.

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The Sydney Funnel Web spider

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  1. Nathalie Wojtowicz AtraxRobustus The Sydney Funnel Web spider

  2. Presentation • Description of the sydney funnel web spider • Is it very dangerous ?

  3. Sydney funnel web spider Venomous spider : Phylus Arthropoda Class Arachnida Order Araneae Suborder Opisthothelea Genus Atrax Species AtraxRobustus

  4. Sydney funnel web spider Location in Australia :

  5. How to recognize an atraxrobustus ? • One of the Australia’s largest spider : 35 mm length for a female and 25 mm for a male • Characteristics : • Black to brown • Shiny carapace • Deeply curved groove • Eyes closely grouped

  6. How to recognize an atraxrobustus ? • Differencing male and female : • Male is more delicate built than female • And has a little spur along its second leg But both have big fangs pointing straight down… …And able to penetrate fingernails or soft shoes !!!

  7. How to recognize an atraxrobustus ? • Sometimes mistaken with : • Misgolasrapax male or female : which is not poisonous • Misselena sp female • Badumnainsignis, which may bite and cause nausea, sweating or giddiness

  8. Where do they live ? • Burrow in moist, cool, sheltered habitats • Characteristic sign : irregular silk strip lines around the entrance

  9. What is their behavior ? • Solitary animals • Active at night • Hunt from the burrow entrance • Eat from insects and spiders to small frogs and lizards • Very aggressive, when approached

  10. Mating • During Summer/Autumn males wander • Pheromones help them to find females’ burrow • During mating, considerable sparring occurs

  11. Interaction with humans • Males are often found in suburban gardens, sometimes trapped in houses or garages, or in swimming pools • 4 millions people live with Sydney Funnel Web Spider • Greater chance to encounter this spider

  12. Toxins • The venom of male is very toxic • Females are harmless • Contains a unique component : Robustoxin, which affects the nervous system of humans and monkeys

  13. Symptoms • Bite very painful, due to the acidity of the venom and the size of fangs • Systemic envenoming • Tingling around the mouth and tongue, facial muscle twitching, nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, salivation and shortness of breath

  14. Symptoms • Patients may rapidly develop agitation, confusion and coma • Death results from progressive hypotension or possibly raised intracranial pressure consequent on cerebral oedema

  15. Antivenom • Developed for clinical use in 1981 by Dr Struan Sutherland • Effective against other dangerous funnel-web spiders and also in case of bites from mouse spider • Held at major city and regional hospitals

  16. Antivenom • Before the introduction of antivenom the illness required 2 to 3 weeks of hospital care, whereas now it lasts 1 to 3 days • No definite adverse reactions to the antivenom • No death occurred since its introduction

  17. First Aid • Apply a pressure bandage • Bound a rigid splint onto the limb to prevent limb movement • Keep as quiet as possible • Try to keep the spider for positive identification

  18. FAQs about AtraxRobustus • Can they swim ? • Can’t swim • But can survive 24-30 hours under water and so bite when removed of the water !!! • Can they jump ? • Can’t jump • But move quickly • And rear up when irritated

  19. Conclusion Atraxrobustus doesn’t kill anymore… But if you have arachnophobia, don’t go to Australia !

  20. Thank You !

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