Unknown idiopid

Fact Box Species: Unknown idiopid (see notes below) Family: Idiopidae formerly Ctenizidae Body length: female: 30 mm male: 22 mm Habitat: Males are mostly found above ground in Autumn; the female is unknown Toxicity: Venom toxicity uncertain; spider should be handled with caution

The male palps

This spider is usually found in black soil areas of the Darling Downs south-west of Toowoomba. Males are found during autumn and early winter but not in the large numbers that are typical of the Toowoomba Euoplos trapdoor species. The male is golden brown whereas the more common Euoplos male is a dark chocolate colour. In addition, it does not have the double spur on the inside of the first pair of legs that Euoplos has. This lack of a spur is also a characteristic of Arbanitis longipes but the spider shown here is slightly larger and has a forward curving (U-shaped) fovea on its capapace whereas that of A. longipes is straight.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: Euoplos species, Euoplos species and Misgolas species.