Red-headed Mouse Spider

A red-headed mouse spider is a subspecies of mouse spiders, but the females and males of this species were treated as two subspecies due to their vast differences in size and appearance. When a mating pair was discovered years later, it was only then discovered that they were, in fact, the same subspecies. All mouse spiders are thought to eat mice, and the female's appearance is like that of a brown mouse.
These spiders are considered vermin due to female red-headed mouse spiders producing copious amounts of highly toxic venom, potentially as dangerous as the Sydney Funnel-Web Spider. It is best to treat bites as though they came from a Sydney Funnel-web.

Glancing over the spider slowly, he saw the red-tinged jaw and the dark brown body, indicating the spider was female. Oliver giggled.

Oliver McKinney: "May I keep her?"

Ruualn nodded.

Ruualn, Fate of Death: "She'll be waiting in a separate cage in your bedroom when you wake up and return to the Storm Pack. For now, we must discuss what you're supposed to do regarding your transition into being a lesser celestial."

— His Kiss, book 2 of the Shadows Saga snippet

General Appearance

Due to their vast differences in appearance, red-headed mouse spiders can be easily mistaken for two different spider species if one is unfamiliar with spiders. They have a smooth, glossy carapace, with their head raised higher than their abdomen. Their eyes are widespread across the front of their head. The spinnerets at the back of the abdomen are short and blunt, the last segment domed and button-like.
The female red-headed mouse spider ranges from dark brown to black all over, with short legs and a large, stout body. There are times that their jaws are red-tinged, but this happens rarely. Females are more than twice the size of a male.
Males are known for their bright red heads and jaws with blue to black abdomens. They don't contain mating spurs and are very small compared to females.

Geography

The red-headed mouse spider is the largest spread-out species of mouse spiders. They can be found across Australia's mainland, though they're mostly seen west of the Great Dividing Range, while they love warm climates, such as semi-arid shrubland habitats or open forests. The spiders can dig a burrow up to 21.7 inches (55 cm) deep with two trapdoors. Females tend to remain in or near their burrows throughout life and are sluggish spiders that are rarely aggressive.

Diet

These spiders are known to eat insects and other spiders, but they also can be found snacking on small vertebrates, such as frogs and lizards. Oh, and the possibility of mice is on the menu as well.

Predators

Predators of the Red-headed Mouse Spider include parasitic wasps, bandicoots, scorpions and centipedes.

Deidrick Howl: "Ollie, why do you keep getting these...things? I could tolerate the first one and the creepy beetle, but this? Two spiders? Do you love torturing me?"

— Deidrick to Oliver about his fear of spiders
_{he's not trying to be mean; insects are his biggest fear, and Oliver KNOWS this}

Table of Contents

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by Heather McLennan (Australian Museum)

_{Picture a female red-headed mouse spider}

by Peripitus (Wikimedia)

_{Picture a male red-headed mouse spider}

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Classification

Species:

Occatoria

Genus:

Missuelna

Family:

Actinopidae

Order:

Araneae

Class:

Arachnida

Phylum:

Arthropoda

Lifespan:

4+ Years

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Appearance

Skin Tones:

Browns to black, with red heads on the males

Average Height:

Female: 3.5 cm (35 mm)
Male: 1.5 cm (15 mm)

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Other Notes

Known Characters:

Zairtah, the spider of Oliver McKinney

Related Myths:

The Children of Oliver

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