The name "whistling tarantula" comes from its ability to produce a hissing noise when provoked, a trait it shares with other Australian theraphosids.

Its body length, from eyes to the rear of its abdomen, measures between 6 and 9 cm (2.4 and 3.5 in), making it the largest Australian tarantula.

[3][8] In May 2010 a scientist living near Cooktown, Queensland, was bitten on her right index finger and experienced symptoms never reported before in research literature.

Fifteen hours post-bite, the adjoining finger and upper hand were also swollen and painful."

[11] However Simon did not change the diagnosis or description, just gave the species a unique genus name.

In 1995, Günter Schmidt transferred the species back to the genus Phlogius,[12] however the transfer of the Australian fauna from Selenocosmia to Phlogius was rejected by Raven 2000, argued that Schmidt had not compared the holotype specimens of both genera.

As all previous taxonomic revisions of this group have been based on morphology only, molecular data will likely be required to settle this debate.

It lives in rainforests and gullies or other sheltered cooler spots in open forests along the Queensland Central coast.