Macrothele calpeiana

Macrothele calpeiana, commonly known as the Gibraltar funnel-web spider or Spanish funnel-web spider, is one of the largest and most fierce-looking spiders in Europe. Macrothele calpeiana is the only spider species protected under European Union legislation.[1]

Macrothele calpeiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Macrothelidae
Genus: Macrothele
Species:
M. calpeiana
Binomial name
Macrothele calpeiana
(Walckenaer, 1805)

The satin black colour and long flexible spinnerets are unmistakable. The carapace is low and flat and the eyes are in a compact group. The female resembles the male but has a larger abdomen. The male can grow to nearly 30 millimetres (1.2 in) long with the female going over that. Like all funnel-web spiders, this spider's web is funnel-shaped with trip-threads around the entrance, built among stones and roots. Its geographical range includes Gibraltar, Spain, Portugal and north-west Africa.This species has been observed occasionally in France. The venom is not deadly to humans.

It is the type species of its genus.

References
  1. Arnedo, M.A., Ferrández, M. (2007) "Mitochondrial markers reveal deep population subdivision in the European protected spider Macrothele calpeiana (Walckenaer, 1805) (Araneae, Hexathelidae)". Conserv Genet 8, 1147–1162. doi:10.1007/s10592-006-9270-2.
  • Jiménez-Vlaverde, A. & Lobo, J. M. (2006) "Distribution determinants of endangered Iberian spider Macrothele calpeiana (Araneae, Hexathelidae)". Environmental Entomology, 35(6): 1491-1499.
  • Jiménez-Vlaverde, A. & Lobo, J. M. (2007) "Potential distribution of the endangered spider Macrothele calpeiana (Walckenaer, 1805) (Araneae, Hexathelidae) and the impact of climate warming". Acta Zoologica Sinica, 53: 865-876. http://www.currentzoology.org/paperdetail.asp?id=6697.
  • Jiménez-Vlaverde, A. (2009) "Absence points of Macrothele calpeiana (Walckenaer, 1805) (Araneae, Hexathelidae) in Morocco (North Africa)". Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, 44: 559-561.
  • Jiménez-Vlaverde, A., García-Díez, T. & Bogaerts, S. (2007) "First records of the endangered spider Macrothele calpeiana (Walckenaer, 1805) (Hexathelidae) in Portugal". Boletín de la Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, 41: 445-446.
  • Siaud, P. & Raphaël, B., (2013) "First observation in Provence of the southern iberian funnelweb: Macrothele calpeiana (Walckenaer, 1805)". Mésogée., 69 : 5- 11, "planches" (board) 1-2.


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