Spiders. I am interested in venomous spiders - particularly funnel-web spiders. I'm also interested in cribellate spiders and their relatives. Cribellate spiders are a large group of many different species of spiders. They all produce silk which is made up of many fine strands - perfect for effectively trapping the spiny or hairy legs of insects. These silk strands are produced in the cribellum - a structure containing lots of tiny tubes which is just in front of the spider's spinnerets. Spiders with a cribellum are called cribellate spiders. Spiders without a cribellum are ecribellate.
I have always been interested in animals and the environment. When I was at school, I was interested in marine biology, but I always got seasick - not a good thing for a marine scientist! I also had an interest in insects. I studied science at the University of Western Australia. After that I had the opportunity to do a Master of Science in trapdoor spiders. This really began my interest in spiders.
I came to the Australian Museum in the late 1960s and since then, I've extended my interest in cribellate spiders and completed a PhD on Australian funnel-web spiders.
Well, you can observe lots of different spiders around your house and garden. Some of the resources below will help you identify the spiders you see and find out more about them.
Webs of Intrigue. Film Australia. Presented by Densey Clyne.
(You can't buy this video new any more, but you might be able to get it second-hand or from the video shop, or your library might have it.)
An Australian Museum Website
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