Hadronyche versuta

A member of the genus Hadronyche, the Blue Mountains funnel-web spider was first described in 1914, by William Joseph Rainbow in the genus Atrax, having been collected from the vicinity of the Jenolan Caves.{{cite journal| author= Rainbow, William Joseph |year= 1914|title= Studies in Australian Araneidae. No. 6. The Terretelariae |journal=Records of the Australian Museum |volume=10|issue=8|pages= 187–270 [253–55] |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/9090567| doi= 10.3853/j.0067-1975.10.1914.901|doi-access= free}} The species name is derived from the Latin versutus "clever/cunning".{{cite book|last=Brunet|first=Bert|title=Spiderwatch: A Guide to Australian Spiders|publisher=Reed|date=1997|page=87|isbn=0-7301-0486-9}}

The Blue Mountains funnel-web spider has a similar colouration to most other Australian funnel-web spiders, namely a shiny black carapace and black to dark brown legs and chelicerae. The abdomen of the male has a pale dorsal patch, and that of the female is maroon-brown. The carapace in the male is slightly longer than wide and is roughly square in the female.

File:AustralianMuseum spider specimen 21.JPG]]

The Blue Mountains funnel-web spider is found in eastern Australia from the Blue Mountains to Illawarra District in New South Wales. Its burrows are found in stumps and rotten logs.{{cite journal|last=Gray|first=Michael R.|title=A revision of the Australian funnel-web spiders (Hexathelidae: Atracinae)|journal=Records of the Australian Museum|date=24 November 2010|volume=62|issue=3|pages=285–392|doi=10.3853/j.0067-1975.62.2010.1556|issn=0067-1975|url=http://australianmuseum.net.au/Uploads/Journals/19162/1556_complete.pdf|access-date=3 September 2013|archive-date=2 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181102105734/https://australianmuseum.net.au/uploads/journals/19162/1556_complete.pdf|url-status=dead}}

One out of nine recorded cases of being bitten by a Blue Mountains funnel-web spider has resulted in severe symptoms of envenomation. The bite can be successfully treated with the antivenom for the related Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus).{{cite journal | vauthors = Isbister G, Gray M, Balit C, Raven R, Stokes B, Porges K, Tankel A, Turner E, White J, Fisher M | title = Funnel-web spider bite: a systematic review of recorded clinical cases | journal = Medical Journal of Australia | volume = 182 | issue = #8 | pages = 407–11 | year = 2005 | pmid = 15850438|url=https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2005/182/8/funnel-web-spider-bite-systematic-review-recorded-clinical-cases?iframe=true | doi=10.5694/j.1326-5377.2005.tb06760.x| hdl = 2440/17349 | hdl-access = free }} Symptoms of envenomation can occur within 15–20 minutes. Applying pressure bandage similar to snake bite treatment can significantly delay the onset of symptoms and remains a critical part of the management of an Australian funnel-web spider bite. Despite the venom lacking the atraxotoxin or atraxin of A. robustus, the symptoms are very similar to those from a Sydney funnel-web spider bite. Features of envenomation include diaphoresis, local pain at the bite site, pulmonary oedema, hypertension, nausea and vomiting.{{cite journal|vauthors=Miller MK, Whyte IM, White J, Keir PM|date=2000|title=Clinical features and management of Hadronyche envenomation in man|journal=Toxicon|volume=38|issue=3|pages=409–27|pmid=10669029|doi=10.1016/S0041-0101(99)00171-3}}

Females are suspected of being more venomous than males, possibly because they inject larger amounts of venom. Versutoxin, a neurotoxin very similar to robustoxin produced by the Sydney funnel-web spider, induces an autonomic storm in the victim.

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versuta

Category:Spiders of Australia

Category:Spiders described in 1914

Category:Taxa named by William Joseph Rainbow

Category:Arthropods of New South Wales