This is a secretive spider. It is shiny black with a white bordered red stripe on the abdomen. Some female spiders in northern NZ can be completely black. Young spiders have a largely white abdomen with red diamonds bordered with black on the abdomen. The small male retains the juvenile colour. The spider has 4 pairs of legs which are about 1.5 times the length of the body.

The Katipo lives in and around low growing plants and drift wood in sand dune areas. It builds it's web in amongst plants such as pingao (marram grass is not suitable).

It feeds on small insects such as flies, moths, other spiders and even crustaceans such as sand hoppers.

It is threatened due to habitat loss from introduced plants, stock grazing and other human activities. The name Katipo means night stinger and refers to the bite, which is toxic. However, the spider is shy and not aggressive, so human bites are not common.

Photo Credit Rod Morris. Available from www.rodmorris.co.nz