SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Araneidae — Orb Weavers Arkys Australian Huntsman Spider Barking Spider Black House Spider Carepalxis sp Celaenia sp Crab Spiders Deinopidae — Net-casting Spiders Dolomedes sp Dolophones sp Flower Spiders Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus volans Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Thomisidae Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus) Wolf Spider

Spiders belong to the class Arachnida, more commonly known as arachnids. They share the class with other species including scorpions, harvestmen, ticks and mites.

Female Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis), Alice Springs Desert Park, NT
Female Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis)

Check out our following spiders:

Adult male Ant-mimicking Spider (Ligonipes sp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Adult male Ant-mimicking Spider (Ligonipes sp), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman

You can also see our Index of Spider Images… which will take you through to the relevant page on the spider…


Long-tailed St. Andrews Cross Spider (Argiope protensa), Alice Springs, NT
Long-tailed St. Andrews Cross Spider (Argiope protensa)

Spider are mistakenly called insects (class Insecta), however the main difference between the two class are that spiders have eight legs (four pairs of legs) whilst insects have six legs (three pairs of legs). Both spiders and insects belong to the largest group of animals on Earth, the arthropods.

Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) © Stefan Jones
Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi), Brisbane QLD © Stefan Jones

Did you know that the Desert Scorpion also belong to the class Arachnida.

Trapdoor Spider (genus Arbanitis), Blue Mountains NSW © Katrina Leel
Trapdoor Spider (genus Arbanitis), Blue Mountains NSW © Katrina Leel

Another distinguishing feature of Arachnids are they have no antennae and no wings, with most being carnivorous, feeding on pre-digested bodies of insects or other small animals and birds. Some are parasites, whilst many are venomous, secreting poison from specialised glands.

As the largest order of arachnids, Spiders are found world-wide, except for Antarctica. As of July 2019, at least 48,200 spider species, and 120 families have been recorded by taxonomists.1 There is much discussion among the scientific community on the classification of families, genus and species.

As well as having eight legs, spiders also have chelicerae with fangs that generally are able to inject venom and spinnerets that extrude silk.

Shining Long-jawed Spider (Tetragnatha nitens), Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe
Shining Long-jawed Spider (Tetragnatha nitens), Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe

Whilst some spider species have venom that is dangerous to humans, there is much scientific research into the application of spider venom as medicine and in the use of non-polluting pesticides. There is also research into the spiders silk production and the application in the human world.

Wrap-around Spider (Dolophones conifera), Newcastle NSW © Michael Doe
Wrap-around Spider (Dolophones conifera), Newcastle NSW © Michael Doe

An irrational fear of spiders is known as arachnophobia.

Opisthoncus nigrofemoratus, Hawthorndene SA © Marianne Broug
Opisthoncus nigrofemoratus, Hawthorndene SA © Marianne Broug

Listed spiders in the following include:

  • Redback Spider (Latrodectus hasselti)
  • Huntsman Spider
  • Jewel Spider (Astracantha minax)
  • Slender Green Orbweaver (Araneus talipedatus)
  • Garden Orb Weaving Spider (Eriphora biapicata)
  • Jumping Spider (Opisthoncus nigrofemoratus)
  • Peacock Spider (Maratus volans)
  • Jovial Jumping Spider (Apricia jovialis)
  • Milky Flower Spider (Zygometis xanthogaster)
  • Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis)
  • Turreted Wrap-around Spider (Dolophones turrigera)
  • Wrap-around Spider (Dolophones conifera)

  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Chelicerata
  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Suborders:
    • Araneomorphae
    • Mesothelae
    • Mygalomorphae
  • Suborders: Opisthothelae
  • Infraorder:
    • Araneomorphae
    • Mygalomorphae Pocock, 1892

Footnote & References

  1. “Currently valid spider genera and species”World Spider Catalog. Natural History Museum Bern. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  2. Spider facts, Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/spider-facts/
  3. Spider structure, Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/spider-structure/
  4. Spiders, Queensland Museum, https://www.qm.qld.gov.au/Explore/Find+out+about/Animals+of+Queensland/Spiders
  5. SpiderzRule, This site was first established by Glen from Australia in 1996. Now run by spider enthusiast Michael, the site has developed into one where people from all over the world emailed spider photos, https://www.spiderzrule.com/
  6. Steve’s Australian Spider Pics, http://spiders.zacharoo.com/
  7. Common Spiders in the Darwin Area, No I63 July 2014, Northern Territory Government, https://industry.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/233587/822.pdf
  8. Spiders of Australia, Ed Nieuwenhuys, https://ednieuw.home.xs4all.nl/australian/Spidaus.html
  9. Many thanks for ID of the Trapdoor Spider (Arbanitis) by Robert Raven, member of Australian spider identification page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/australianspidereducation/

SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Araneidae — Orb Weavers Arkys Australian Huntsman Spider Barking Spider Black House Spider Carepalxis sp Celaenia sp Crab Spiders Deinopidae — Net-casting Spiders Dolomedes sp Dolophones sp Flower Spiders Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus volans Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Thomisidae Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus) Wolf Spider