Katipo Spider
$36.00
Details
Product of Antics
Head to Tail 20cm (length)
Leg to Leg 35cm (width)
Filled with recycled fibres
Fun Facts;
The Katipo is an endangered species of spider native to New Zealand. The name is from the Maori language for 'night stinger'.
the females have a body size of about 8mm ad a leg span of up to 32mm, with distinctive marknigs on their abdomens. The males are much smaller and quite different in appearance.
They are found throughout most of coastal New Zealand, mainly living on the landward side of sand dunes, close to the seashore.
Katipo feed mainly on ground dwelling insects which are caught in their irregular tangled webs spun amongst the dune plants.
The females lay their eggs in November or December in multiple ball shaped sacs that contain up to 90 eggs. The spiderlings hatch in January or Febrruary.
The venom of the katipo is medically significant in humans, although small bites are rare as the spiders, as they are shy and non-aggressive.
Due to habitat loss resulting in dune modification and colonisation of other exotic spiders, the katipo is now threatened with extinction, with only a few thousand remaining.