Barking spider

The Australian tarantulas (also called whistling, barking or bird-eating spiders) belong to four genera, Selenocosmia (four described species), Selenotholus and Selenotypus (with one species each), and Phlogiellus (undescribed species) in the family Theraphosidae. They are often known as whistling or barking spiders because of the sounds most species can produce by rubbing rows of modified spines on the basal segments of their palps (front pair of limb-like sensory/mating organs) against opposing spines on their jaw bases (the stridulating organ). The whistling or humming noise is most readily produced when the spider is disturbed and takes up a threatening defensive pose - it may act as a deterrent against predators.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• barking
• spider
• Australian
• tarantula
• whistling
• bird-eating

[Godzillafan95]

Do you live in Australia or just visiting for a while?

[chiefstinky]

@Godzillafan95 Lived there for 5 years, in Alice Springs

[KickShove]

does it actually bark? ruff ruff?

[chiefstinky]

@KickShove Its name comes from the ability of this spider to produce a hissing noise when provoked, a trait it shares with nearly all Australian tarantulas (from Wikipedia)

[malmstrethai]

stab it, that'll make the fucker bark

[LuthiensShadow]

I have a pet one of them :3 I looked this up coz I haven't heard her make noise before bt I'm in my room and she's on my shelf in a little enclosure and I kept hearing that. it was fucking creeping me out.

[TheOtherLioyd]

@malmstrethai HURF DURF KILL ANIMALS FOR BEING OF A SPECIES I DON'T LIKE

[Wavedude21101]

lol crazy spider hes like leave me alone

[sonicXfan]

omg they exists!

[Airsoftidol22]

I only heard a fly...not bark

[gsimon123]

i actually caught and kept some tarantulas in new mexico. one of mine hissed at me once. i didn't know at the time that any arachnids could make noises! scariest thing that ever happened in my life...

[Dynomitex2]

WOOF?



[avatarmason]

dam barkin spiders

smosh internet for dummies

[isawazlan]

@ateras360 yes, we all enjoy smosh's videos. fag

[ateras360]

when I fart I blame it on a barking spider :)