| Macrothele calpeiana | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Family: | Hexathelidae |
| Genus: | Macrothele |
| Species: | M. calpeiana |
| Binomial name | |
|
Macrothele calpeiana (Walckenaer, 1805) |
|
Macrothele calpeiana, the Gibraltar or Spanish funnel-web spider, is one of the largest and most fierce-looking spiders in Europe.
The satin black colour and long flexible spinnerets are unmistakable. The carapace is low and flat and the eyes are in a compact group. The female resembles the male but has a larger abdomen. The male can grow to nearly 30 millimetres (1.2 in) long with the female going over that. Like all funnel-web spiders, this spider's web is funnel-shaped with trip-threads around the entrance, built among stones and roots. Its geographical range includes Gibraltar, Spain, Portugal and north-west Africa. The venom is not deadly to humans.
It is the type species of its genus.