ArkysArkys Image Index Arkys alatus (Winged Arkys) Arkys alticephala (High-headed Arkys) Arkys bulburinensis Arkys cornutus (Horned Triangular Spider) Arkys curtulus (Small Bird-dropping Spider) Arkys lancearius (Triangular Spider) Arkys walckenaeri (Walckenaer’s Studded Triangular Spider)

With the resemblance of “bird dropping”, the Arkys curtulus is commonly known as the Small Bird-dropping Spider, the Bird Dropping Spider or the Bird Poo Spider.

The colours and patterns vary considerably between individuals and can range from cream, orange, mottled, brown and black. This small spider is found in eastern Australia, resting on leaves and waiting for prey to come within reach.

Arkys curtulus, Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe
Arkys curtulus, Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe
Bird-dropping Arkys (Arkys curtulus) on Agapanthus, Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Bird-dropping Arkys (Arkys curtulus) on Agapanthus, Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Bird-dropping Arkys (Arkys curtulus), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Arkys curtulus feasting on a Native Drone Fly (Eristalinus punctulatus), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Mount Mee QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Mount Mee QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Murrumba Downs QLD © Tony Eales
Arkys curtulus, Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe
Arkys curtulus, Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe

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and our blog Creatures so strangee…, photographer Michael Doe


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Chelicerata
  • Class: Arachnida
  • Order: Araneae
  • Infraorder: Araneomorphae
  • Family: Arkyidae
  • Genus: Arkys
  • Species: Arkys curtulus

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs Arkys curtulus © Deb Taylor
  2. Photographs Arkys curtulus © Michael Doe
  3. Photographs Arkys curtulus © Tony Eales
  4. Arkys curtulus (Simon, 1903), Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/Arkys curtulus

ArkysArkys Image Index Arkys alatus (Winged Arkys) Arkys alticephala (High-headed Arkys) Arkys bulburinensis Arkys cornutus (Horned Triangular Spider) Arkys curtulus (Small Bird-dropping Spider) Arkys lancearius (Triangular Spider) Arkys walckenaeri (Walckenaer’s Studded Triangular Spider)

SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Spiders Index 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 Euryopis umbilicate (Superb Ant-eater Spider) Flower Spiders Gnaphosidae (Stealthy Ground Spider) Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Herennia sp Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Molycria burwelli Mopsus mormon Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Nyssus coloripes (Orange-legged Swift Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Tetragnatha Thomisidae Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus) Wolf Spider

SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Spiders Index 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 Euryopis umbilicate (Superb Ant-eater Spider) Flower Spiders Gnaphosidae (Stealthy Ground Spider) Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Herennia sp Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Molycria burwelli Mopsus mormon Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Nyssus coloripes (Orange-legged Swift Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Tetragnatha Thomisidae Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus) Wolf Spider