Spiders

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Tips for submitting spider sightings:

Photos from various angles are sometimes necessary for specific ID.

front (eye arrangement, pedipalp colour)
dorsal (above - general colouration, carapace and abdomen patterns)
ventral (underneath - especially useful for some of the ground-dwelling families and orb-weaving families)
side (further details for general shape, abdomen patterns and eye configuration)
back (further details for abdomen pattern).

Comments or photos on the following also provides valuable information if/when such features are applicable and observed...

surroundings and location (eg. ground, leaf litter, hand rail, tree trunk)
web structure and silk use (eg. orb, messy & tangled, throwing silk)
breeding (eg. display, egg sac)
behaviour (eg. hunting, interaction, familiarity with people such as the threatening display of a huntsman or the friendly and curious jumping spiders that jump onto the camera lens)
notable, unique, exciting or strange observations (eg. spur-like protrusions from legs, camouflage, mimicry)

Please note that the size of the spider is measured by body length.

body size is from the top of the cephalothorax (head) to the tip of the abdomen without including the legs.

(Updated: October, 2022. Please feel free to message a spider moderator if you have any queries or suggestions for improvement)

Resources:

Field guide: A Field Guide to Spiders of Australia authored by Robert Whyte & Greg Anderson

A good introduction: http://www.ento.csiro.au/education/allies/araneae.html

All about Australian spiders: http://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2409

Spiders

Huntsman spiders (Sparassidae)

Jumping or peacock spiders (Salticidae)

Wolf spiders (Lycosidae)

Other hunting spiders

Orb-weaving spiders (several families)

Trapdoor, Funnelweb or Mouse spiders (Mygalomorphae)

Other web-building spiders

Water spiders (Pisauridae)

Moderators

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Announcements

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7 Mar 2025

Since 1 Jan 2025, NatureMapr 44% of all sightings uploaded were NSW based, while 43% were from the ACT.The remaining 13% were from other states, with VIC coming in third at 5%.Strictly speaking, 67% o...

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Discussion

Hejor1 wrote:

Yesterday

@YumiCallaway yes it was, it was good at staying on the other side of the stick so I couldn't get better pics without disturbing it further

Opisthoncus sp. (genus)

YumiCallaway wrote:

Yesterday

Hi @Hejor1 ! I know it's been a few months now, but would you remember whether these two images are definitely of the same individual?

Opisthoncus sp. (genus)

WendyEM wrote:

13 Mar 2025

It wasn't too many years ago I learnt what these were after wondering for years. Raising things can be tricky. Getting humidity right (so they don't get mouldy or dehydrate) and all sorts of other things. Some critters take days/weeks to hatch/emerge, others can take many months. Don't feel bad you did not succeed 1st go.

Austracantha minax

Mike wrote:

13 Mar 2025

My suggestion of moth pupa was wrong. Nothing hatched from the specimen I kept.

Austracantha minax

WendyEM wrote:

13 Mar 2025

egg case

Austracantha minax