Bothriocyrtum californicum
(California Trapdoor Spider)

Picture ID 3898

Picture of Bothriocyrtum californicum (California Trapdoor Spider) - Male - Dorsal

Comments & ID Thoughts

At first glance, it looks very similar to California trapdoor spider (bothriocyrtum californicum) -- HOWEVER, zooming in on it, it seems to have two things sticking out of the back -- making it look almost identical to the very deadly Australian southern tree funnel web spider [Hadronyche cerberea]. The spiders look way too similar to one another. While it seems really unlikely seeing as I'm in San Diego, CA that it's from Australia ... we do have 50+ if not hundreds of international students who work at my work site and travel back/forth frequently....perhaps one hopped on the luggage...?

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ItsyBitsy

Hi, welcome to Spider ID. 🙂 This looks like another California Trapdoor Spider (Bothriocyrtum californicum) to me. The projections on the spider’s abdomen are spinnerets, all spiders have them. Sometimes the length of them is helpful in narrowing down an ID but in this case they might be sticking out further on yours because he’s dehydrated or something like that. Compare the unusual shape of the first pair of legs on your spider to confirmed images of male California Trapdoor spiders and then to the Australian species you’re thinkg of and it should make it easier to tell the two… Read more »

Additional Pictures

Picture of Bothriocyrtum californicum (California Trapdoor Spider) - Ventral Enlarge Picture
Picture of Bothriocyrtum californicum (California Trapdoor Spider) - Male Enlarge Picture
Picture of Bothriocyrtum californicum (California Trapdoor Spider) - Male - Dorsal Enlarge Picture
Picture of Bothriocyrtum californicum (California Trapdoor Spider) - Male - Ventral Enlarge Picture