The Barking spider
The Barking spider is a big hairy Australian Tarantula that lives in The Mulga country (Queensland). It feeds on Small birds, Frogs, lizards and insects. The Barking spider is made up of two body segments (just) as all spiders). The Scientific name of the Barking spider is the Selenocosmia Crassipes.
Some structural adaptations of the barking spider are... The barking spider has to brush feet (Palps) used for brushing dirt to get a space to live in. They also have claw tuffs so when they are digging if they come across rocks they can slowly dig through them. The last structural adaptation is its spinneret, which is only used on occasion to make a web.
Some behavioural adaptations are... The spider rubs its pulps against its stony ruff spines to make a barking sound (as you can imagine this is why it is called a barking spider) this is used to scare away predators so the spider can live another day. The next adaptation is the film of oil they grow nearly straight after the spider is born, this film of oil is used so it can climb mountains. The next adaptation is the suction cup above the oil this is actually part of the last adaptation but still a whole new muscle. The last adaptation is its lungs; its lungs are designed specially so that they can last in the cold and hot and humid environments, The lungs are designed so that when the spider breathes it breathes in humid oxygen.
The Barking spider only really has or one threat on is survival. This threat is… the predators; the predators are Owls, Dingos, Feral cats and Red foxes. These creatures population is growing and growing killing the barking spider at extreme rates.
The Barking spider is a large hairy creature that has survived amazing conditions. It feeds on Lizards, Frogs, Insects and Small birds. It rubs its Pulps against its spine to make a barking noise to scare away its predators (that is how it got its name). It has brush feet for digging its home and a spinneret for an occasional web.
Live barking spider in the wild!
Were to see a barking spider!
Fun facts!
- The barking spider is part of the Theraphosidea family which makes them a Tarantula.
- Barking spiders do not have teeth
- Barking spiders are known as bird eating spiders as they have eaten small birds
