White-tailed Spiders myths and hoaxes Spiders of Australia

a white tailed spider. photo credit: david mcclenaghan

the urban myth of bite of white-tailed spider leading severe illness , large flesh-eating wounds has never been verified. studies of verified lampona bites have not shown case of necrotising ulcers. lamponidae has 200 known species, 2 in australia. common species lampona cylindrata (throughout australia not eastern queensland). identical lampona murina restricted eastern australia. these 2 species difficult tell apart, clue in field, without looking @ genitalia, being location. lamponids have 8 eyes in 2 rows. middle 2 eyes in row oval shaped , silvery or blueish. tend medium-sized, though body length range of species 3 13 mm. cigar-shaped abdomen (sometimes flattened) narrowed @ both ends. cephalothorax, wider abdomen, shaped shorter, half length of abdomen. legs slender, 2 claws, more slender of similar gnaphosidae. juveniles tend have more or less obvious whitish marks on upper surface of abdomen.

the urban myth originated in 1982 when australian medical researcher struan sutherland claimed white-tailed spider culprit of severe skin ulcers , necrotic lesions. perpetuated number of articles in medical journals. research toxicologist geoff isbister , arachnologist mike gray investigated verified lampona cylindrata bites, patients complained pain, redness , itchiness, researchers find no resulting necrotic ulcers or other confirmed infections.