Alice Springs Fauna •
Alice Springs SpidersAustralian Golden Orb Weaver Australian Huntsman Spiders (Sparassidae) Backobourkines Banded Garden Spider Beautiful Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus calligaster) Cytaea sp Desert Huntsman Spider Elegant Water Spider (Dolomedes facetus) Hackled Orb-weavers Hortophora sp Long-jawed Orb Weavers Long-tailed St. Andrew’s Cross Spider Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) Miturgidae (Elassoctenus spp) Red-headed Mouse Spider Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) Wall Spider (Oecobius sp)
Belonging to the family Sparassidae (formerly Heteropodidae), the Australian Huntsman Spiders are largish spiders that can elicit fright or fascination. A beautiful and interesting family of spiders, there are more than a thousand Sparassidae species found in most warm temperate to tropical regions of the world, including Australasia.
In Australia there are approximately 200 species of huntsmen, with more being discovered. They are found living across a variety of habitats, including Alice Springs and Central Australia. Some species are common over wide regions, whilst others are only found in specific habitats including rainforests, cool sub-alpine, semi-arid and desert regions.
As you explore the arid region of Central Austalia, keep an eye out for the Huntsman Spiders. Many are found residing under the loose bark of trees, under rocks, in crevices, rock walls and on even on foliage. They are even found sharing our homes and gardens here in Alice Springs.
In the following photograph is a paralysed Neosparassus sp of huntsman, that will be taken back to the nest of the Orange Spider Wasp (Cryptocheilus bicolor).
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Chelicerata
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae
- Infraorder: Araneomorphae
- Family: Sparassidae
there are approximately 88 genera, encompassing 1,363 species (with more species being discovered)
Alice Springs SpidersAustralian Golden Orb Weaver Australian Huntsman Spiders (Sparassidae) Backobourkines Banded Garden Spider Beautiful Badge Huntsman (Neosparassus calligaster) Cytaea sp Desert Huntsman Spider Elegant Water Spider (Dolomedes facetus) Hackled Orb-weavers Hortophora sp Long-jawed Orb Weavers Long-tailed St. Andrew’s Cross Spider Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) Miturgidae (Elassoctenus spp) Red-headed Mouse Spider Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) Wall Spider (Oecobius sp)
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