Yikes! Could it be one of the trapdoor (purseweb) spiders?

I have no clue! I emailed a pic to my mom and she said it looked like an Australian Funnelweb Spider..but in my basement in Connecticut!? Then I sent it to a friend of mine who lives *IN* Australia, and he said the same thing which did not make me feel any better, but I know that is just impossible.

I mean, I know I get the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow here but that is as far as it goes when we are talking venom on the danger level to humans.

I have searched on every site I can think of like enature and the sorts..NOTHING has come close. I am stymied. One thing I think I am sure of though; this does not look like a safe spider to have roaming around in ones house.

Brought any plants in lately that are from Australia?

webkat5: Noooooo???? Let's see, the last plant I purchased was a salvia and that I put ouside. The only mail I ever got from Australia was a Bird Song CD and that was well over a year ago. Are you saying what I think you are saying? How is that possible?! Should I call someone? Could there be more? Eep!

Guessin' Trapdoor spider (Ummidia).

OK..someone else just threw the name "Woodlouse Hunter" at me and said:

Have a look at the woodlouse hunters, while they are usually more reddish in colour on the cephalothorax, they have a grayish abdomen like yours does. They have large fangs as well. It's a bit hard to tell from your photo as it is obviously dead and the colour can change after death.

But..but..but..it was never red or a shade of red.. Still confused.

...because a state entomologist can't tell what this is. And of course I disposed of the body and of course the next day we got two weeks worth of rain in one go so the body is washed away and I can't send it to her! I really didn't even think to save it..I thought this was going to be easy...like it was going to be one of those everyday run-of-the-mill spiders that are known to exist but are just rarely seen. Live and learn...

"Your e-mail was forwarded onto me. Unfortunately I can not identify your spider to species. We have over 600 species in Connecticut and I would need to look at it to get an identification. If you still have it, put it in alcohol and mail down to me. Then I can help you."

I'm still going with a purseweb (trapdoor) spider. Check out the link below and compare some of the images with yours. I think the center one on the top row is pretty close. Also, if you google purseweb spiders, you'll come with numerous images.

Here is a link that might be useful: Click here

rhizo_1:

I see what you're saying, and the body shapes are similar BUT, that violin/hourglass shape in the abdomen is what is getting to me..I think I am stuck on it. It almost seems to me a Purseweb (Trapdoor) and a Woodlouse Hunter got together and made what I have because it seems to share characteristics of both.

Being a birder..I feel like I am staring at a Peewee..or is it a Phoebe..well I know it's a flycatcher at least.. hard to tell sometimes!

Its either:

1. Spidzilla or

2. One of the stars of the Sci-Fi channel's 9 PM Saturday night movies.

Well if you want some reassurance its not one of ours.,E.G.
Its not an Australian Funnel Web...we have a few around our garden. Thats about all I can contribute

Had to copy/paste this from over on the birder's forum. Hey, you found me!
FYI, one of the posters on that forum stated that it looked like a recluse, and that is the post I am referring to in my response.

I'm afraid my reputation as a spider authority must have been slightly inflated somewhere along the line...I can only echo what many have already said and say it looks like one of the trapdoors to me as well. With all due respect, Rachel, I'm sorry to have to disagree with you an the recluse tag. While I can't say what it IS, I am VERY familiar with my old friend the brown recluse and have to work every day in close proximity with them and this is happily not Dakster's creature. The whole body configuration, the leg structure, overall stocky dimensions are completely dissimilar.
I also repeat what others have mentioned, that if it were a photo of an undead spider things might be easier to see.
"undead spider"...there's a special phrase sure to lodge in the minds of any arachnophobes reading.
You mentioned phoebe vs. pewee. Now that would be wonderful, if spiders made noise. Sometimes that's the only way I can reliably tell what bird I'm seeing up in the canopy!
I will be checking back periodically to see what you've come up with on this one!!

i live in virginia and have lived in the woods all my life. ive seen millions of spiders and more species than i dare to count, however only recently maybe the past 4 years or so i have seen a spider that just blew me away. i have driven myself crazy with research and phone calls about the type of spider it is. everything ive found and everyone ive talked to (including arachnid experts) seems to point to the trapdoor. the 5 or 6 ive seen alive and dead look almost identical to your pictures, however mine are slightly smaller.