Macrothele calpeiana

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

Macrothele calpeiana, the Gibraltar or Spanish funnel-web spider, is one of the largest and most fierce-looking spiders in Europe.

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. The venom is not deadly to humans.

It is the type species of its genus.

References

• JIMÉNEZ-VALVERDE, A. & LOBO, J. M. (2006) Distribution determinants of endangered Iberian spider Macrothele calpeiana (Araneae, Hexathelidae). Environmental Entomology, 35(6): 1491-1499.
• JIMÉNEZ-VALVERDE, 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.
• JIMÉNEZ-VALVERDE, 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-VALVERDE, 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.