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)

The species Arkys lancearius, is commonly known as the Triangular Spider or Common Triangular Spider, named from the distinctive triangular or heart-shaped abdomen. A brightly coloured and patterned spider they are found along the east coast of Australia, from Queensland, down through New South Wales, Victoria, parts of South Australia, south-eastern parts of Western Australia and Tasmania.

Triangular Spider (Arkys lancearius), Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe
Triangular Spider (Arkys lancearius), Woy Woy Bay NSW © Michael Doe

The body length of the males is about 5.5 mm, with the females being larger at around 8 mm. The front two pairs of legs are large, perfect for grabbing small insects, whilst the rear pairs of legs are smaller. The body colour can vary from yellow, orange, red and with pale jewel-like markings on the triangular shaped abdomen.

The Triangular Spider is an ambush hunter, often found resting on leaves and ferns or jsut hanging from a few threads of silk.

Triangular Spider (Arkys lancearius), Narara NSW © Michael Doe
Triangular Spider (Arkys lancearius), NSW © Michael Doe
Triangular Spider (Arkys lancearius), NSW © Michael Doe

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

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs Arkys lancearius © Michael Doe
  2. Triangular Spiders, Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/spiders/triangular-spiders-arkys-spp/
  3. Common Triangular Spider (Arkys lancearius), iNaturalistAU, https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/201613-Arkys-lancearius
  4. Arkys lancearius Walckenaer, 1837 Common Triangular Spider, Arachne.org.au, https://www.arachne.org.au/01_cms/details.asp?ID=2016

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 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 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) Thomisidae Wolf Spider Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus)

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 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 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) Thomisidae Wolf Spider Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus)