Mouse Spider

Mouse spider is the common name for Missulena, a genus of mygalomorph spiders in the family Actinopodidae first described by Charles Walckenaer in 1805. The genus contains 26 species as of 2024, nearly all native to Australia with one species found in Chile, reflecting a Gondwanan distribution. These spiders are medium to large, ranging from 1 to 3 centimeters, with a glossy carapace and a high, broad head bearing widely spread eyes, and females are entirely black while males show species specific coloring, such as a bluish patch in the eastern mouse spider or a brownish to blue black body with bright red tinged jaws in the red headed mouse spider. Their bites are painful but not generally dangerous, since mouse spiders are far less aggressive toward humans than related species and often bite without releasing venom, though funnel web spider antivenom is effective against severe cases.