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Story: Evolution of plants and animals

Black tunnel-web spider

Black tunnel-web spider

Only about 10% of New Zealand spiders are Mygalomorphs, which are a primitive group of spiders. Most New Zealand spiders are the more advanced Araneomorphs. The Mygalomorph group includes some of the more spectacular large spiders such as the black tunnel-web spider (Porrhothele antipodiana) which is related to tunnel-web spiders in Australia. New Zealand has about 1,100 named species of spiders, most of which are endemic (only found in New Zealand).

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by Simon Pollard

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How to cite this page

Matt McGlone, Evolution of plants and animals – Split from Gondwana, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/12423/black-tunnel-web-spider (accessed 10 June 2026).

Story by Matt McGlone, published 1 March 2009.

Comments

Ian Surgenor
25 November 2021
The black tunnel web spider definitely is not harmless. Recently while clearing our garden I removed a dry semi-rotten log. While carrying it to the rubbish pile I was bitten on finger. I dropped the log and the spider fell out of the cavity where my hand had been. It was quite a painful bite very similar to a wasp sting. Within minutes there was slight swelling around the bite area. The swelling subsided after a few hours but the finger was itchy for 2 or 3 days. Unfortunately I automatically reacted by standing on the spider to kill it. Two family members witnessed the incident. I googled and identified the spider while its image was fresh in my mind. It was definitely a tunnel web.