Blakistonia aurea
Blakistonia Aurea Trapdoor Spider Identification in Australia
The Blakistonia species also called Adelaide trapdoor spider. It is distinct from Idiosoma subtriste, which shares that common name.
Avoid handling; bite effects uncertainAbout Blakistonia aurea trapdoor spider
Blakistonia aurea is a spiny trapdoor spider in Idiopidae. It occurs across south-eastern South Australia and parts of western NSW and Victoria. Published work describes it as one of the more frequently encountered mygalomorphs around Adelaide, though habitat clearing affects its surroundings. The common name Adelaide trapdoor spider is ambiguous: this species is not Idiosoma subtriste, the animal covered by the existing Adelaide trapdoor page.
A stocky ground spider and a soil-and-silk burrow door support a trapdoor identification. They do not prove Blakistonia aurea. The genus has many other species, and body size varies even among adult males. The burrow, locality and adult anatomy are better evidence than a brown colour or an Adelaide address. Photograph a visible entrance without lifting it. Keep the scientific name attached when comparing records, particularly older pictures labelled only with the common name.
Identification limit: this guide is a comparison aid. A name match in the identifier does not establish a species record.
Compare similar spiders
Sources and further reading
- World Spider Catalog: Blakistonia aurea
- Rendall and colleagues: natural history study
- Healthdirect: spider-bite first aid
Reviewed 21 September 2026. Identification guide; not a confirmed species diagnosis.
Quick identification
- Stocky brown or dark mygalomorph
- Burrow with a camouflaged door
- Southern Australian range
- Confirm the scientific name: common name overlaps with Idiosoma
What to check next
Photograph the whole spider and its surroundings without disturbing it. Use the clues together; a close match is not a confirmed species identification.
When to seek medical help
Do not handle or probe the retreat. If a bite could be from a funnel-web or mouse spider, call 000 and follow pressure-immobilisation first aid. Do not wait for identification. Poisons advice: 13 11 26.
Where it is usually seen
South-eastern South Australia, including Adelaide and the Mount Lofty region, with records extending into western NSW and Victoria.