Iconically Australian, funnel-web spiders typically appear in lists of the continent's most dangerous and deadly native inhabitants.
But while their lethal venom has been closely studied, some researchers say surprisingly little is known about funnel-web spiders' ecology and behaviour, including how males search for partners and even how many different species exist.
PhD candidate Linda Hernández Duran, from James Cook University, said the "misunderstood" arachnids were far from naturally aggressive.
She tested the movement and reactions of four species of funnel-web and found wide variations in behavioural responses under different scenarios, such as when placed with other spiders or provoked by a possible predator.
None of the species tested – the Border Ranges, Darling Downs, Southern tree-dwelling and Sydney funnel-webs – were consistently aggressive against potential predators, the study published in the journal Current Zoology found.
The Border Ranges Hadronyche vallida, typically found near the Gold Coast, showed consistency in risk-taking behaviour when exposed to predators and aggressiveness against other members of the same species.
The Sydney funnel-web Atrax robustus was the only species to show consistent behaviour when it came to exploration of new territory.
Ms Hernández Duran said the results suggested some funnel-web behavioural responses are flexible, providing insights into the link between their ecology and use of venom.
Long live the funnel web
Bruno Alves Buzatto, a lecturer in terrestrial ecology at Flinders University in Adelaide, said one of the reasons for the historic lack of research into funnel-web behaviour was their relatively long lifespan.
"Rearing them in captivity and doing behavioural trials, or even following them in the field, is usually something that takes several years to be done properly," Dr Buzatto said.
"I was also surprised a few years ago to realise a such an infamous species that's basically a pop culture icon in Australia was so little understood."
Dr Buzatto said it was not yet known how long funnel-webs lived in the wild, how much they moved around, or how males searched for females.
He is currently involved in a study using small radio transmitters to track male funnel-webs to analyse how far they can walk in a single night, their habits over a breeding season, and how environmental conditions affect their search for a mate.
Caitlin Creak, a PhD student at the University of New South Wales, is finalising that project this year.
"Understanding how these males move around and look for females is pretty crucial to managing the risks of bites and perhaps having a better relationship [between] humans and funnel-web spiders in the metropolitan area," Dr Buzatto said.
More unanswered questions
Ms Hernández Duran said funnel-web spiders typically used venom as a last resort when threatened, as it could take them days or weeks to replenish the peptides they needed for hunting.
None of the recorded 13 human deaths from funnel-web bites have occurred since antivenom was first developed more than 40 years ago.
Ms Hernández Duran said further research was under way into how the composition of funnel-web spider venom changes with their behaviour, diet and environmental conditions.
She said behavioural research could lead to more efficient production of antivenom and potentially even distinguish new species of funnel-web.
Thirty-five members of the family have been identified to date, but researchers say the true number could be as high as 100.
"From an ecological point of view, we think these animals are also really reliable bioindicators because they can't just thrive inside buildings," Ms Hernández Duran said.
"They depend on conditions and the environment so if we change conditions, these animals are going to go extinct.
"They are super vulnerable to disturbance."
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