Missulena

''Missulena'' is a genus of mygalomorph spiders in the family Actinopodidae. It was first described by Charles Walckenaer in 1805, and is a senior synonym of ''Eriodon''. ''M. tussulena'' is found in Chile, but the rest are indigenous to Australia.

They are sometimes referred to as "mouse spiders" from the now-disproven belief that they dig deep burrows similar to those of mice. ''Scotophaeus blackwalli'' is also called a "mouse spider", but it is smaller and not closely related.

Description

These spiders are medium to large in size, ranging from . They have a glossy carapace and high, broad heads with eyes spread out across the front of the head, and short spinnerets in the rear of the abdomen. They mostly prey on insects, though they may consume other small animals as opportunity presents. Their primary predators include wasps, centipedes, and scorpions.

These spiders also exhibit sexual dimorphism. Females are entirely black, while males coloration is specific to each species. For instance, male eastern mouse spiders (''M. bradleyi'') have a bluish patch, while male red-headed mouse spiders (''M. occatoria'') are brownish or blue-black with bright red-tinged jaws.

Identification

They resemble most genera of the infraorder Mygalomorphae. But they can be easily distinguished by the large pair of chelicerae, their two small eyes in the center and 3 to the sides. While in all other trap door spiders they are grouped in a mound at the center of the head. Females are harder to identify than males, as females are entirely black, while males may be brighter in color. Usually in form of a blueish abdomen or reddish carapace and chelicerae, or both.

Habitat and range

These spiders have a Gondwanan distribution, with one species found in Chile and the rest distributed throughout Australia. They live in trapdoor covered burrows that can extend to nearly in depth. Females generally remain in their burrows, depending on the males to wander in search of mates.

Medical significance

Bites from these spiders are painful, but not generally dangerous. Serious envenomations are relatively rare, but bites that have been documented in medical literature didn't require antivenom treatment or involve serious symptoms. There is evidence to suggest that a mouse spider bite can potentially be as serious as that of an Australian funnel-web spider, but recorded bites are rare, despite the abundance of some species amid human habitation.

These spiders look very similar to the Australian funnel web spiders and bites should be initially treated as funnel web spider bites until the spider is positively identified by an expert. Australian funnel-web spider antivenom has been found to be effective in treating severe mouse spider bites. Unlike the Australian funnel-web spiders, however, the mouse spider is far less aggressive towards humans, and may often bite without releasing any venom.

Species

it contains 21 species:
*'' M. bradleyi'' Rainbow, 1914 – Australia (New South Wales)
*'' M. davidi'' Greenberg, Huey, Framenau & Harms, 2021 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. dipsaca'' Faulder, 1995 – Australia
*'' M. faulderi'' Harms & Framenau, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. granulosa'' (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869) – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. harewoodi'' Framenau & Harms, 2017 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. hoggi'' Womersley, 1943 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. insignis'' (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1877) – Australia
*'' M. iugum'' Greenberg, Huey, Framenau & Harms, 2021 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. langlandsi'' Harms & Framenau, 2013 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. leniae'' Miglio, Harms, Framenau & Harvey, 2014 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. mainae'' Miglio, Harms, Framenau & Harvey, 2014 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. manningensis'' Greenberg, Huey, Framenau & Harms, 2021 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. melissae'' Miglio, Harms, Framenau & Harvey, 2014 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. occatoria'' Walckenaer, 1805 – Southern Australia
*'' M. pinguipes'' Miglio, Harms, Framenau & Harvey, 2014 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. pruinosa'' Levitt-Gregg, 1966 – Australia (Western Australia, Northern Territory)
*'' M. reflexa'' Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918 – Australia (South Australia)
*'' M. rutraspina'' Faulder, 1995 – Australia (Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria)
*'' M. torbayensis'' Main, 1996 – Australia (Western Australia)
*'' M. tussulena'' Goloboff, 1994 – Chile

Formerly included:
*''M. bonneti'' (Zapfe, 1961) (Transferred to '' Plesiolena'')

See also

* List of Actinopodidae species

References

Further reading

*
*
*
*
*
*

{{Taxonbar, from=Q100898

Mygalomorphae genera
Taxa named by Charles Athanase Walckenaer
Spiders of Australia
Spiders of South America
Fauna of Chile