Alice Springs Fauna •
Alice Springs Spiders > Alice Springs Spider Index
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) Gnaphosid (Ground Spider) Hackled Orb-weavers Hortophora sp Long-jawed Orb Weavers Long-tailed St. Andrew’s Cross Spider Lynx Spider (Oxyopidae) Miturgidae (Elassoctenus spp) Neosparassus sp Orange-legged Swift Spider (Nyssus coloripes) Red-headed Mouse Spider Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) Sondra aurea Uloboridae – Cribellate Orb Weavers Wall Spider (Oecobius sp) Zodariidae
Alice Springs FaunaAlice Springs Native Bees Alice Springs Beetles Alice Springs Birds Alice Springs Gastropods (Gastropoda) Alice Springs Insects Alice Springs Marsupials Alice Springs Reptiles Alice Springs Spiders
Alice Springs FloraAlice Springs Flora Index Acacia ligulata Annual Yellowtop Bougainvillea Apple Bush Burdekin Plum Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqa) Cattle Bush Desert Cotton (Aerva javanica) Desert Oak Eremophila Wildberry Feijoa sellowiana Flannel Cudweed Fork-leaf Corkwood Ghost Gum Golden Everlasting Kurrajong Lemon-flowered Gum MacDonnell’s Desert Fuchsia Native Bluebell Native Tomato Needlewood Olive Tree Perennial Yellow Top Rat’s Tail River Red Gum Inland River Red Gum Rosy Dock Round-leaved Mallee Scurvy Grass Silky Eremophila Stemodia viscosa Striped Mintbush Sturt’s Desert Pea Sturt’s Desert Rose Tangled Leschenaultia Tar Vine Weeping Bottlebrush White Cedar Yellow Billybutton Yellow-keeled Swainsona Yellow Oleander
Alice SpringsAlice Springs Accommodation Alice Springs Pet Friendly Accommodation Alice Springs Art & Culture Alice Springs Attractions Alice Springs Directory Alice Springs Distance Alice Springs Festival & Events Alice Springs Flora and Fauna Alice Springs Fauna Alice Springs Flora Getting Around Alice Springs Alice Springs Aboriginal Tours Alice Springs Tours Alice Springs Tours – Other