White-tailed spiders

Family Lamponidae

Male White-tailed Spider (Lampona murina). Photo: M Gray © Australian Museum.

There are many species of white-tailed spiders and they are found throughout Australia. Some species are common in urban areas and are often seen in houses. White-tailed spiders usually wander at night, hunting and eating other spiders. The two common species, the Southern and Eastern White-tailed Spiders, Lampona cylindrata and L. murina, are similar in appearance and have overlapping distributions in the south-eastern Australia. Their bites have been controversially and often incorrectly implicated in causing ulceration in humans.

Find out more:

• Identifying white-tailed spiders
• Suspects gallery
• Where white-tailed spiders live
• How white-tailed spiders live
• Are they dangerous?
• First aid and control
• White-tailed spider links

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Copyright © Australian Museum, 2002