Brush-footed trapdoor

Fact Box Species: Idiommata iridescens (RM) or a closely related species Previous species name: Lampropodus iridescens Family: Barychelidae Body length: female: 33 mm male: 24 mm Habitat: The females live remain in a burrow in the ground but adult males wander above ground during the warmer months Toxicity: May be significantly toxic to humans

A damaged male The male Its carapace Underneath male

The body of this species is a reasonably uniform dark colour and the claw tufts and iridescent tarsal brushes on the legs are distinctive. Not too much is known of its natural history, but the burrow is said to be fitted with an inwards opening door.

The males of this species should be treated as potentially dangerous since the few tests that have been done on the venom of this species suggest it may have a toxicity not much less than that of funnel-web and mouse spiders.

Known Range: This is mostly found in inland locations adjacent to Cairns and down to the NSW border.

Spider(s) with a similar appearance: Euoplos species, Aname barrema, Hadronyche infensa, Namea salanitri, and Paraembolides boycei.