''Selenocosmia stirlingi'' is a species of

tarantula Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. , 1,100 species have been identified, with 166 genera. The term "tarantula" is usually used to describe members of the family Theraphosidae, although ...

(family Theraphosidae) that is native to the arid regions of Australia. It is sometimes also referred to as a barking spider or whistling spider as this species, like many tarantulas, can stridulate to produce a "hissing" sound when disturbed or threatened. This species is largely fossorial, living in burrows deep underground, however males are sometimes encountered during the breeding season.

Taxonomy and naming

This species was originally described by Henry R Hogg in 1901. However, early research from 1894 had noted that this species could produce an audible sound. ''Selenocosmia stirlingi'' is a member of the

Selenocosmiinae The ''Selenocosmiinae'' are a subfamily of tarantulas (Mygalomorphae: Theraphosidae) found throughout South-East Asia and Australia. This subfamily is defined by the presence of a lyra on the maxillae and strikers on the chelicerae, allowing thes ...

subfamily, which is widespread throughout Australia and South-East Asia.

Habitat

left, 210px, Display in the Australian Museum Barking spiders live in the

Australian desert Deserts cover about , or 18%, of the Australian mainland, but about 35% of the Australian continent receives so little rain, it is practically desert. Collectively known as the Great Australian desert, they are primarily distributed throughout ...

and are

ambush predator Ambush predators or sit-and-wait predators are carnivorous animals that capture their prey via stealth, luring or by (typically instinctive) strategies utilizing an element of surprise. Unlike pursuit predators, who chase to capture prey u ...

s from burrows placed among

leaf litter Plant litter (also leaf litter, tree litter, soil litter, litterfall, or duff) is dead plant material (such as leaves, bark, needles, twigs, and cladodes) that has fallen to the ground. This detritus or dead organic material and its constituen ...

or desert shrub. The entrance to the burrow is sometimes lined with

spider silk Spider silk is a protein fibre or silk spun by spiders. Spiders use silk to make webs or other structures that function as adhesive traps to catch prey, to entangle and restrain prey before biting, to transmit tactile information, or as nest ...

Prey

Barking spiders wait in their burrows for insects, lizards or frogs to come near the entrance before grasping and injecting venom into them.

Predators

As it is a small animal, the barking spider has quite a lot of predators even in the desert. Some of these include owls, dingoes and feral cats.

Adaptations

The barking spider depends on special adaptations to survive in its natural habitat. They have a gill-like lung that requires humidity and strong claws that enables them to dig burrows and stay cool. Barking spiders also have bushy feet with some secreted oil which produces a suction-cup ability, which allows them to easily climb up steep rocks in the desert.

Pet trade

This species as well as several other tarantula species within Australia are sometimes collected and sold as pets. The extent of collecting from the wild has not been well characterised, but illegal collecting and harvesting of wild populations are likely to be detrimental to the species.

References

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q2488018 Theraphosidae Spiders of Australia Spiders described in 1901