A new species of spider, Dolomedes briangreenei, which likes to swim and catch fish, has been discovered in Queensland. It is named after physicist and World Science Festival co-founder, Brian Greene, Professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University. New spider is about the size of the palm of a hand and uses vibrations on the surface of the water, or waves, to navigate and find prey: fish, frogs and tadpoles and the introduced cane toad, making a significant contribution to the management of the pest. These spiders are also good swimmers, usually working from the sides of pools and off rocks. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/a...-brisbane-likes-to-swim-and-catch-fish-2016-3 Nice. Like Australia doesn't have enough scary animals already.
Minnesota also features large hairy spiders that live in ponds and streams and can handle small fish as prey: http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/insects/find/common-spiders-in-and-around-homes/ I must qualify the description there - the ones I have seen, at least the larger ones, do not "skate" across the water as (for example) water striders do, but rather sort of shuffle, with much more of their bodies and legs in contact with the surface, and all eight legs moving rapidly. They don't look much like a water strider, and they don't forage on the water like a water strider - they ambush from vantage rather than roving around.
I'm an arachnophobe, but this find will be greeted with enthusiasm by a certain niche sub-sub-species of homo sapiens. Ecologists charged with monitoring/managing the eco-health of rare & endangered species. That sub-sub-species own 'habitat' will now expand and with it likely both more funding and jobs. Now for the next rare find.
I live on a creek and saw one of those living on/under my bridge last year. A big one too, at least 3".
Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! Australia has many deadly venomous snakes, but like most things, the danger is highly sensationalised: [Taipan, Eastern Brown, Tiger, Death Adder Red Bellied Black] and death is very rare...... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_snake_bites_in_Australia The estimated incidence of snakebites annually in Australia is between 3 and 18 per 100,000 with an average mortality rate of 0.03 per 100,000 per year.[4] Between 1979 and 1998 there were 53 deaths from snakes, according to data obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.[5] Between 1942 and 1950 there were 56 deaths from snakebite recorded in Australia. Of 28 deaths in the 1945-49 period, 18 occurred in Queensland, 6 in New South Wales, 3 in Western Australia and 1 inTasmania.[6] The majority of snake bites occur when people handle snakes in an attempt to relocate or kill them. >>> Our two most deadliest spider are the Funnel Web [never seen one in the wild] and the Red Back. Again the danger is dramatised...... http://www.australiangeographic.com...2/08/australian-spiders-the-10-most-dangerous SPIDERS TEND TO INCITE more fear than favour and even provoke phobias for some. And many a visitor to our shores has been more than a little worried about our venomous eight-legged friends. It's true that we have some of the most venomous spiders in the world - but Australia's spider reputation is bigger than its bite: records show no deaths from spider bites here since 1981. "The fact is that, from a human perspective, spiders just aren't that dangerous" says Dr Aaron Harmer, arachnid researcher Macquarie University. "While many spiders can give you a nip, in most cases it is less troublesome than a bee sting." >>> Other lists include the Box JellyFish, [79 deaths since 1883] found on tropical north Australian shoreline waters. Blur-Ringed Octopus, two known deaths. Cone Snail, one recorded death...... http://www.australiangeographic.com.../05/top-10-most-venomous-animals-in-australia
I live in Queensland and when I got to this point in your post, I felt my curly hair straighten in terror. In short, no no no no no.. Just no. We have big spiders here. Very big ones. I don't want to know that we have more. In this regard, I prefer to live in ignorance. I have seen a funnel web in the "wild". Well, it was in my cousin's backyard in Sydney when I was there for the holidays and it reared up, exposed its fangs and it charged. As in it didn't run away from me, it ran toward me on its hind legs with its fangs raised in the air. I ran, screaming in terror back into the house. He had so many around the yard, that he had to bring pest control in. He wouldn't even let his kids play in the yard. It was the last time I ever visited that house. The Sydney Funnel Web spider needs to incite fear because they are so dangerous. And they incite fear well. *Shudders*
Yep, they certainly are aggressive and territorial...and a frightening site! Me? As far as any creepy crawlies go, I'm like a big girl! We were sitting around on a ibe [fijian mat] a couple of decades ago after we moved into our new house, drinking Kava, [about a dozen family and friends]when a dirty big cockroach ran across the middle of the mat. My Wife shouted to me to get it! My immediate reaction was jumping back and screaming "get it your f$#@ self!" At a guess was his house on the North side heading up to Gosford/Palm beach way? General habitat for the Sydney Funnel Web.
