Couranga diehappy

Fact Box Species: Couranga diehappy or perhaps Couranga kioloa (both being South-east Queensland species; see notes below for the reference to a paper by Michael Gray and Helen Smith on which this identification is based) Family: Stiphidiidae Body length: female: 7 mm male: about 6 mm Habitat: This species is believed to live in a sheet web under logs or rocks but is probably more likely to be found in leaf litter Toxicity: This species is probably too small to cause illness in humans and accidental contact is unlikely anyway

Side view Oblique view Underneath female Female epigynum Cribellum shape Claws and spines

The above spider is identified as a Couranga species on the basis of the contents of the following paper: Gray MR and Smith HM (2008) "A new subfamily of spiders with grate-shaped tapeta from Australia and Papua New Guinea (Araneae: Stiphidiidae: Borralinae)" Records of the Australian Museum, 60, 13-44.

Known Range: Mainly present in South-east Queensland and coastal NSW down to Sydney.

Spider(s) with a very similar appearance: A variety of spider species that have the same 'average' body and leg shape and lycosid-like markings, but stiphidiids have a divided cribellum in front of the spinnerets which distinguishes them from many of the spiders that superficially resemble them.